Beginning with the swamp tours and Zydeco dancing of regional induction, corps members immerse themselves in a culture of diversity as they begin to impact student achievement in an exciting climate of burgeoning educational reform.

South Louisiana

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"It’s time to transform education in Louisiana into a world-class system providing top-notch educational opportunities for all children in this state, regardless of their economic background. To do so, we must continue to have reform-minded organizations like Teach For America leading the charge for change in our classrooms and beyond."

-Paul Pastorek
Louisiana State Superintendent of Education

Schools

In South Louisiana, despite all that corps members and staff have fought for, there are serious economic disparities in South Louisiana that contribute to a severe achievement gap. Louisiana has the fifth highest poverty rate in the nation. Generational poverty is strikingly high in rural parishes where there is little industry or employment. In 2006, in the parishes in which our corps members teach, only 35 percent of fourth graders and 32 percent of eighth graders scored at the basic level on the state's standardized test. Forty percent of public school freshmen in the South Louisiana region do not graduate from high school.

  • In the last four years some 70,000 Louisiana students have dropped out of Louisiana schools; an approximately 50 percent graduate rate in some areas.
  • Louisiana ranks last in AP tests and opportunities per student.
  • Many graduates from Louisiana schools are reading at an eighth grade level.
  • In Louisiana, which consistently ranks last or second-to-last nationally in education, the parishes we serve are at the very bottom - in other words, these are the lowest performing school districts in the lowest performing state in the nation - in other words this is arguably the area of greatest need in the United States today.

In addition, South Louisiana has an alarmingly high rate of students who receive special education services and, therefore, a pressing necessity exists for special education teachers. Students in special education are capable of achieving at high levels, but many receive inadequate services in the schools. Applicants are encouraged to consider filling this critical need for South Louisiana’s students.

At a Glance

School Districts:
East Baton Rouge Parish Schools
East Feliciana Parish Schools
St. Helena Parish School System
St. Landry Parish Schools

Ethnic Breakdown-Student Population
(South Louisiana Parishes: East Feliciana, East Baton Rouge and St. Landry )
86% African-American
12% Caucasian
< 1% Latino/Hispanic
1% Asian-American
< 1% Native American
< 1% Other

Ethnic Breakdown-South Louisiana
(South Louisiana Parishes: East Feliciana, East Baton Rouge, and St. Landry)
44% % African-American
54% Caucasian
1% % Latino/Hispanic
< 1% % Asian-American
< 1% Native American
< 1% Other

Percentage of Students Qualifying for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
83%

Placements
31% regular education elementary (grades 1-5)
21% secondary special education (grades 6-8)
48% regular education secondary (grades 6-12)
96% teach at a school with another corps member or alumnus
1-12 grade level placements

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