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Very Good

#270 of 1,288 schools in LA

Top 21% in state

J. I. Watson Elementary School

Elementary School · Calcasieu Parish · Iowa, LA

A Calcasieu Parish elementary school where students score 5 points above what's typical for similar communities.

201 E First St, Iowa, LA 70647

  • Math 36% vs LA 36% (2025)
  • Reading 45% vs LA 43% (2025)
  • 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.3Very Good50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.08 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics7.1Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency36% (2025 LEAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency45% (2025 LEAP)
Math vs. State Avg0 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+2.1 pts
Overall Proficiency41% (2025 LEAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)36% (model expectation from 2025 LEAP)
vs. Expected+4.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile58th
Resources & Environment9.5Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.5:1
District spending per student$17,724
Chronic Absenteeism16%

Students at J. I. Watson Elementary School score 40% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 36%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 LEAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. LA average.

Math Proficiency36%(2025 LEAP)
School
State
36%(2025 LEAP)
ELA Proficiency45%(2025 LEAP)
School
State
43%(2025 LEAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 11 points since 2020, reaching 41% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
73%
ELA
66%
2010
Math
70%
ELA
69%
2011
Math
68%
ELA
65%
2012
Math
67%
ELA
70%
2013
Math
63%
ELA
66%
2014
Math
56%
ELA
68%
2015
Math
62%
ELA
60%
2016
Math
63%
ELA
65%
2017
Math
72%
ELA
81%
2018
Math
69%
ELA
77%
2019
Math
69%
ELA
77%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
42%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
42%
2022
Math
22%
ELA
42%
2025
Math
36%
ELA
45%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 53% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 60% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 40 test records from LA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

73.3%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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 rate

The neighborhood

Where J. I. Watson Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 39Car-Dependent
  • Bike 46Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,323/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Iowa), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$83,048

Median home value

$251,400

Median rent

$1,134/mo

College educated

22.4%

Homeownership

85.8%

Poverty rate

9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 70647; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Lebleu Settlement Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.9PK–55.0 mi418Compare →
Dequincy Primary SchoolEnrollment path unverified9.2PK–2Not available273Compare →
E. K. Key Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.9PK–5Not available552Compare →
Prien Lake Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified9.2PK–5Not available703Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Calcasieu Parish

Schools in district
56
Rank in district
#21 of 55
District spending per student
$17,724NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
19.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

J. I. Watson Elementary School is listed in Calcasieu Parish; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About J. I. Watson Elementary School

J. I. Watson Elementary School is a public elementary school in Iowa, LA, part of Calcasieu Parish, serving approximately 524 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio.

It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10 and ranks #270 of 1,288 schools in LA. State assessment records show 53% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 60% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about J. I. Watson Elementary School

What grades does J. I. Watson Elementary School serve?

J. I. Watson Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend J. I. Watson Elementary School?

J. I. Watson Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 524 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at J. I. Watson Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at J. I. Watson Elementary School is 12.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does J. I. Watson Elementary School rank in LA?

J. I. Watson Elementary School ranks #270 of 1,288 schools in LA.

What is J. I. Watson Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

J. I. Watson Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at J. I. Watson Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, J. I. Watson Elementary School has 53% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 60% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is J. I. Watson Elementary School a charter school?

No, J. I. Watson Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is J. I. Watson Elementary School a Title I school?

No, J. I. Watson Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for J. I. Watson Elementary School?

73.3% of students at J. I. Watson Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
524
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
42
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Calcasieu Parish
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
16.0%
Area population (ZIP 70647)
12,056
Area average commute
28.4 min
Area median age
37.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 LEAP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 LEAP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 LEAP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 LEAP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 70647; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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