Best Schools in New Orleans, Louisiana
118 schools · 64 Elementary · 2 Middle · 33 High · 19 Other
Choosing a school in New Orleans?
Use this page to compare every school in New Orleans by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
International School of Louisiana
Elementary · International School of Louisiana. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
New Orleans Center for Creative Arts
High · New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Lake Forest Elementary Charter School
Elementary · Lake Forest Elementary Charter School. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in New Orleans for 2026 are International School of Louisiana (9.1/10), New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (8.9/10), and Lake Forest Elementary Charter School (8.9/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 74 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
118
75 public · 43 private
Avg Score
6.5
out of 10
Median Home
$336,900
home value · ACS
Districts
71
serving the city
Schools
118
75 public · 43 private
Avg Score
6.5
out of 10
Median Home
$336,900
home value · ACS
Districts
71
serving the city
Rates 9.1/10 despite 57% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.6 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among New Orleans schools.
Top-Rated Schools in New Orleans
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 74 rated schools; 118 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | International School of Louisiana | 9.1 / 10 |
| 2 | New Orleans Center for Creative Arts | 8.9 / 10 |
| 3 | Lake Forest Elementary Charter School | 8.9 / 10 |
| 4 | Bricolage Academy | 8.7 / 10 |
| 5 | Arthur Ashe Charter School | 8.4 / 10 |
| 6 | Langston Hughes Charter Academy | 8.2 / 10 |
| 7 | Kipp Morial | 8.2 / 10 |
| 8 | Einstein Charter School at Village De L'est | 8.1 / 10 |
| 9 | Martin Behrman Charter Acad of Creative Arts & Sci | 7.9 / 10 |
| 10 | Young Audiences Charter School | 7.9 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 6.5/10
- Median household income
- $56,375
- Median home value
- $336,900
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 41%
- Avg commute
- 23 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 49%
40% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How New Orleans compares
Louisiana rank
#55 of 139
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.2
above Louisiana avg (6.3)
Median household income
$56k
96% of Louisiana median
Schools in this city
113
Education Snapshot
New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans runs 116 schools across 71 districts, serving an enrollment of roughly 61,280 students. The dominant structural feature is charter concentration: 73 of those 116 schools operate as charters, making up 63% of all schools in the city. Level distribution skews elementary-heavy — 66 elementary schools compared to 33 high schools, with just one standalone middle school among the 116. Composite ratings average 5.5/10 across 110 scored schools, falling 0.8 points below the Louisiana state average of 6.3/10. On the economic side, median household income is $60,199 — less than 1% below Louisiana's state median of $60,633 — indicating New Orleans tracks close to state economic norms even as school ratings lag. Adult educational attainment stands at 43% with a bachelor's degree or higher, suggesting the adult population skews more credentialed than the city's below-average school ratings might imply.
71 districts draw attendance lines through New Orleans
New Orleans is not one school system. 71 districts cut across the city limits, and the largest still holds only 7% of the public campuses.
Orleans Parish is the largest slice at 5 of 75 public schools — not a majority. Choosing a New Orleans address is choosing a district first.
Among 74 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 2.0 to 9.1 — the spread is inside New Orleans, not a citywide average.
73 of the 75 public schools are charters (97%), so the district split is not the whole market.
- Orleans Parish5 public · 7%
- Alice M Harte Elementary Charter School1 public · 1%
- Arthur Ashe Charter School1 public · 1%
- Audubon Charter Gentilly1 public · 1%
- Audubon Charter School1 public · 1%
About Schools in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans runs one of the most distinctive public school systems in the country. Following Hurricane Katrina, the city rebuilt almost entirely around charter schools, and today parents choose from 75 ranked public schools rather than being assigned by address. That open-enrollment structure means school selection requires more legwork — but also more opportunity to find the right fit.
Performance across those 75 schools averages 6.5 out of 10, and the range is wide. Thirty-two schools, or 43% of the total, score 7 or higher, giving families a solid pool of strong options to evaluate. At the top, ReNEW Laurel Elementary leads the city with a 9.7 out of 10 — one of the highest elementary scores in Louisiana. Homer Plessy Community School (9.3) and ReNEW Dolores T. Aaron Elementary (9.0) follow closely, making the ReNEW network a consistent presence among the city's highest performers. Lake Forest Elementary Charter School (8.9) rounds out a strong elementary tier. For high school, Frederick A. Douglass High School stands out with an 8.6, placing it among the city's top-performing secondary options.
The elementary landscape is notably stronger at the upper end than the high school landscape, so parents with younger children have more top-tier choices close to that 9-plus range. For older students, the gap between the highest-scoring high school and the city's top elementary scores signals that secondary options — while still competitive — vary more widely in quality.
Practically, New Orleans parents should start the search early. Open enrollment deadlines and application windows are firm, and the most sought-after schools fill quickly. Because attendance zones are largely replaced by choice-based enrollment, location matters less than it does in most cities — but transportation access to your selected school matters more. Cross-reference each school's score against its grade span, since a 6.5 average masks real differences between strong elementary pipelines and a more uneven middle and high school field. Prioritize visiting or contacting schools in the 7-and-above tier first, then work down based on your child's grade level and your family's logistics.
Elementary Schools
64 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,125 students · Kindergarten–8th | 9.1 |
| 2 | 654 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.9 |
| 3 | 887 students · Pre-K–7th | 8.7 |
| 4 | 807 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.4 |
| 5 | 820 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.2 |
| 6 | 1,013 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.2 |
| 7 | 448 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.1 |
| 8 | 847 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.9 |
| 9 | 1,087 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.9 |
| 10 | 832 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.8 |
Show all 64 elementary schools in New Orleans
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 295 students · 6th–8th | 6.4 | ||
Private Schools1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Christian Brothers SchoolPrivate 349 students · 5th–7th | Not Rated | ||
High Schools
33 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 227 students · 9th–12th | 8.9 |
| 2 | 1,056 students · 9th–12th | 7.6 |
| 3 | 673 students · 9th–12th | 7.5 |
| 4 | 1,131 students · 9th–12th | 7.4 |
| 5 | 665 students · 9th–12th | 7.2 |
| 6 | 862 students · 9th–12th | 7.0 |
| 7 | 731 students · 8th–12th | 6.8 |
| 8 | 355 students · 9th–12th | 6.6 |
| 9 | 406 students · 9th–12th | 6.6 |
| 10 | 943 students · 8th–12th | 6.5 |
Show all 33 high schools in New Orleans
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Other Schools
19 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 985 students · Pre-K–12th | 7.7 | ||
| 2 | 2,120 students · Kindergarten–12th | 7.6 | ||
| 3 | 41 students · 9th–9th | 6.5 | ||
| 4 | 1,566 students · Pre-K–12th | 5.5 | ||
| 5 | 882 students · Pre-K–12th | 5.4 | ||
| 6 | 171 students · 3rd–12th | 3.8 | ||
Private Schools13 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Ursuline AcademyPrivate 405 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | Louise S Mcgehee SchoolPrivate 390 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | Academy of the Sacred HeartPrivate 611 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | Aba Healing AcademyPrivate 35 students · Kindergarten–9th | Not Rated | ||
Show all 19 other schools in New Orleans
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Schools in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana · 118 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 17 ZIP codes
Median Income
$56,375
Median Home Value
$336,900
Median Rent
$1,206/mo
Population
375,832
College Educated
41%
Homeownership
49%
Avg Commute
23 min
Poverty Rate
23.9%
Community Profile
New Orleans has a median household income of $56,375. It is a well-educated community where 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $336,900, with a median rent of $1,206/month. The area has a poverty rate of 23.9%, indicating some economic challenges in the community. The average commute for residents is 23 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Louisiana
- Elementary
- 64
- Middle
- 2
- High
- 33
- Other
- 19
Resources
School Districts (71)
International School of Louisiana
1 school · 1,125 students
New Orleans Center for Creative Arts
1 school · 227 students
Voices for International Business & Education
1 school · 439 students
Lycee Francais de la Nouvelle-Orleans
1 school · 985 students
New Orleans Military & Maritime Academy
1 school · 943 students
Sophie B Wright Institute of Academic Excellence
1 school · 553 students
Success Preparatory Academy
1 school · 474 students
The NET Charter High School
1 school · 274 students
Arthur Ashe Charter School
1 school · 807 students
ReNew Dolores T Aaron Elementary
1 school · 760 students
Frederick A. Douglass High School
1 school · 673 students
Morris Jeff Community School
1 school · 1,566 students
Langston Hughes Charter Academy
1 school · 820 students
Lord Beaconsfield Landry-Oliver Perry Walker High
1 school · 609 students
KIPP Leadership
1 school · 949 students
KIPP Believe
1 school · 759 students
Dr Martin Luther King Charter School for Sci Tech
1 school · 882 students
Harriet Tubman Charter School
1 school · 973 students
Martin Behrman Elementary School
1 school · 847 students
Sci Academy
1 school · 665 students
ReNEW SciTech Academy at Laurel
1 school · 649 students
Dorothy Height Charter School
1 school · 875 students
KIPP Central City
1 school · 891 students
KIPP East Community Primary
1 school · 1,030 students
Phillis Wheatley Community School
1 school · 832 students
ReNEW Schaumburg Elementary
1 school · 704 students
Samuel J Green Charter School
1 school · 576 students
KIPP Ernest N. Dutch Morial
1 school · 1,013 students
G W Carver Collegiate Academy
1 school · 778 students
Fannie C Williams Charter School
1 school · 477 students
Livingston Collegiate Academy
1 school · 630 students
KIPP Booker T. Washington
1 school · 637 students
Noble Minds
1 school · 159 students
Alice M Harte Elementary Charter School
1 school · 738 students
Einstein Charter Middle Sch at Sarah Towles Reed
1 school · 295 students
New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics HS
1 school · 623 students
Lake Forest Elementary Charter School
1 school · 654 students
Einstein Charter School at Village De L'Est
1 school · 448 students
Pierre A. Capdau S.T.E.A.M. School
1 school · 680 students
Audubon Charter School
1 school · 980 students
Robert Russa Moton Charter School
1 school · 372 students
Bricolage Academy
1 school · 887 students
Eleanor McMain Secondary School
1 school · 731 students
Einstein Charter at Sherwood Forest
1 school · 390 students
The NET2 High School
1 school · 189 students
Edna Karr High School
1 school · 1,131 students
Sarah Towles Reed High School
1 school · 413 students
Wilson Charter School
1 school · 623 students
The Willow School
1 school · 2,120 students
Benjamin Franklin High School
1 school · 1,056 students
Audubon Charter Gentilly
1 school · 437 students
New Harmony High Institute
1 school · 355 students
Dwight D. Eisenhower Charter School
1 school · 622 students
Walter L. Cohen High School
1 school · 406 students
Opportunities Academy
1 school · 84 students
McDonogh 35 Senior High School
1 school · 862 students
Living School Inc.
1 school · 193 students
Warren Easton Charter Foundation Inc.
1 school · 1,152 students
Edward Hynes Charter School - Lakeview
1 school · 727 students
Edward Hynes Charter School - UNO
1 school · 518 students
John F. Kennedy High School
1 school · 625 students
Foundation Preparatory Academy
1 school · 222 students
Lafayette Academy Charter School
1 school · 519 students
Esperanza Charter School
1 school · 566 students
New Orleans Accelerated High School
1 school · 273 students
Edward Hynes Charter School - Parkview
1 school · 516 students
Homer Plessy Community School
1 school · 768 students
Young Audiences at Crocker Elementary
1 school · 496 students
Rooted School
1 school · 153 students
Jefferson Parish
75 schools · 50,467 students
Orleans Parish
5 schools · 2,128 students
Other Major Cities in Louisiana
Top metros statewide by school count.
Featured Rankings
See our in-depth rankings with interactive maps, score breakdowns, and school spotlights.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in New Orleans, Louisiana
How many schools are in New Orleans, Louisiana?
New Orleans has 118 schools, including 75 public and 43 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in New Orleans, Louisiana?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in New Orleans is 6.5 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in New Orleans, Louisiana?
The top-ranked school in New Orleans on MySchoolScout is International School of Louisiana with a composite score of 9.1/10.
What is the best elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana?
The top-ranked elementary school in New Orleans on MySchoolScout is International School of Louisiana with a composite score of 9.1/10.
What is the best middle school in New Orleans, Louisiana?
The top-ranked middle school in New Orleans on MySchoolScout is Einstein Charter Middle Sch at Sarah Towles Reed with a composite score of 6.4/10.
What is the best high school in New Orleans, Louisiana?
The top-ranked high school in New Orleans on MySchoolScout is New Orleans Center for Creative Arts with a composite score of 8.9/10.
How many school districts serve New Orleans, Louisiana?
New Orleans is served by 71 school districts: International School of Louisiana, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, Voices for International Business & Education, Lycee Francais De La Nouvelle-Orleans, New Orleans Military & Maritime Academy, Sophie B Wright Institute of Academic Excellence, Success Preparatory Academy, The Net Charter High School, Arthur Ashe Charter School, Renew Dolores T Aaron Elementary, Frederick A. Douglass High School, Morris Jeff Community School, Langston Hughes Charter Academy, Lord Beaconsfield Landry-Oliver Perry Walker High, Kipp Leadership, Kipp Believe, Dr Martin Luther King Charter School for Sci Tech, Harriet Tubman Charter School, Martin Behrman Elementary School, Sci Academy, Renew Scitech Academy at Laurel, Dorothy Height Charter School, Kipp Central City, Kipp East Community Primary, Phillis Wheatley Community School, Renew Schaumburg Elementary, Samuel J Green Charter School, Kipp Ernest N. Dutch Morial, G W Carver Collegiate Academy, Fannie C Williams Charter School, Livingston Collegiate Academy, Kipp Booker T. Washington, Noble Minds, Alice M Harte Elementary Charter School, Einstein Charter Middle Sch at Sarah Towles Reed, New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics HS, Lake Forest Elementary Charter School, Einstein Charter School at Village De L'est, Pierre A. Capdau S.t.e.a.m. School, Audubon Charter School, Robert Russa Moton Charter School, Bricolage Academy, Eleanor Mcmain Secondary School, Einstein Charter at Sherwood Forest, The Net2 High School, Edna Karr High School, Sarah Towles Reed High School, Wilson Charter School, The Willow School, Benjamin Franklin High School, Audubon Charter Gentilly, New Harmony High Institute, Dwight D. Eisenhower Charter School, Walter L. Cohen High School, Opportunities Academy, Mcdonogh 35 Senior High School, Living School Inc., Warren Easton Charter Foundation Inc., Edward Hynes Charter School - Lakeview, Edward Hynes Charter School - Uno, John F. Kennedy High School, Foundation Preparatory Academy, Lafayette Academy Charter School, Esperanza Charter School, New Orleans Accelerated High School, Edward Hynes Charter School - Parkview, Homer Plessy Community School, Young Audiences at Crocker Elementary, Rooted School, Jefferson Parish, Orleans Parish.
What is the education level in New Orleans, Louisiana?
According to Census data, 41% of adults in New Orleans have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in New Orleans, Louisiana?
The median household income in New Orleans is approximately $56,375 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in New Orleans, Louisiana?
Yes, New Orleans has 43 private schools alongside 75 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Georges Episcopal School with a score of 8.6/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in New Orleans, Louisiana?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in New Orleans is 14.6:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in New Orleans, Louisiana?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Louisiana Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.