Four schools rise, 11 fall in simulated School Performance Scores

The Louisiana Department of Education has released 2021 Simulated School Performance Scores, and the St. Charles Parish Public School System fared better than most state education systems in a year altered by the pandemic.

Across the state, 70% of schools and 71% of districts received simulated performance scores that were lower than the 2019 scores. Declines were especially prevalent in high-poverty and high-minority schools where virtual learning was widely used.

The St. Charles Parish School System – comprised of 15 elementary, middle and high schools – experienced a decline in 79% of its schools.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) waived policies related to the production of School Performance Scores and letter grades for the 2020-2021 school year.  In their place, the department released simulated School Performance Scores, which are unofficial results that show what performance scores would have been in 2020-2021.

By attaching the letters “C19” to the numerical scores, BESE said they are assuring that future analyses will take the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic into consideration.

“2020-2021 was a year unlike any other, and results cannot be accurately compared,” a statement on the LDE website stated. “Also, by not producing official school performance scores, the Department and BESE is able to make good on its commitment to not utilize this data for evaluative purposes.”

While LDE said it would not post simulated letter grades to official scores, the School Performance Score-to-letter grade conversion table listed on its website are as follows: A (90-150), B (75-89.9), C (60-74.9), D (50-59.9) and F (0-49.9).

Four SCPPS saw an increase in their numerical score from 2019-2021. Those were as follows:

Destrehan High: C19 – 91.5 (an increase from 88 in 2019)

R.K. Smith Middle: C19 – 76.8 (an increase from 73 in 2019)

New Sarpy Elementary: C19 – 83.7 (an increase from 81.1 in 2019)

Ethel Schoeffner Elementary: C19 – 83 (an increase from 81.1 in 2019)

Lakewood Elementary, Mimosa Park Elementary and St. Rose Elementary saw the most severe decline from 2019 to 2021. The simulated SPS school grade configurations for all parish schools who experiences a decline are as follows:

Allemands Elementary: C19 – 81.9 (a decrease from 82.7 in 2019)

Hahnville High: C19 – 86.6 (a decrease from 88.4 in 2019)

Lakewood Elementary: C19 – 76.4 (a decrease from 84.2 in 2019)

Luling Elementary: C19 – 62.3 (a decrease from 63.5 in 2019)

J.B. Martin Middle: C19 – 86.1 (a decrease from 87.8 in 2019)

Norco Elementary: C19 – 82.9 (a decrease from 87.1 in 2019)

Albert Cammon Middle: C19 – 79.6 (a decrease from 82 in 2019)

St. Rose Elementary: C19 – 67.5 (a decrease from 75.8 in 2019)

R.J. Vial Elementary: C19 – 80.9 (a decrease from 82.7 in 2019)

Harry Hurst Middle: C19 – 84.2 (a decrease from 86.4 in 2019)