Better enrollment, performance scores a good sign for two schools

For years, two historically important Alexandria high schools have struggled to compete for students, while others in the district face overcrowding. But they could be on the way to ending that streak.

This October, Bolton High School and Peabody Magnet High School had identical head counts of 586 students, according to the Rapides Parish School District. That is the highest enrollment for both schools in three years. And it’s not the only good sign.

Administrators are hopeful newly-released performance scores from the state boost enrollment and both schools' perception going forward.

Both Peabody Magnet and Bolton are rated a C by the Louisiana Department of Education. Peabody Magnet was previously rated D and "failing" for years. Bolton's 76 C is incrementally higher than its 74.9 last year, but it's growth nontheless.

Rapides Parish School Superintendent Nason "Tony" Authement said improved scores will help the schools compete with the district's other A and B high schools for students.

"That is going to be huge," Authement said. "I think that the perception of those schools is going to be changed because of the progress that’s being made, and … I think it’s going to impact decisions made by parents and students with regard to them remaining in their assigned schools."

Bolton High School and Peabody Magnet High School, located 3.2 miles apart from each other, are the two oldest high schools in Rapides. Prior to desegregation, only black students attended Peabody, and only white students attended Bolton. The schools were each built to hold up to 1,500 students and have been operating at about 40 percent capacity for years.

Meanwhile, more students attended Alexandria Senior High and Pineville and Tioga high schools every year for at least three years, according to to 2012-15 state department of education data. Bolton and Peabody saw the opposite trend most years during the same period. The schools lost anywhere from 7 to 90 students year over year.

ASH and Pineville are now rated A by the state, and Tioga mainted a B this year, which means Bolton and Peabody still have catching up to do in terms of scores and enrollment.

Too low enrollment at schools becomes a concern at the district level.

Part of the reason this year's head count was up by about 37 students at Bolton and six students at Peabody was because of a zoning proposal the board passed last December. The zoning changes were passed to address low enrollment at the two high schools and overcrowding at ASH, Pineville and Tioga.

According to the district, expected enrollment changes this year were 38 more students at Bolton, 27 more at Peabody Magnet, six fewer at Pineville and 23 fewer at Tioga. Projected over a three-year transition period, the figures were 146 more at Bolton, 135 more at Peabody, 60 fewer at Pineville and 92 fewer at Tioga.

Still, a Bolton alumni and Rapides Parish School Board member recently questioned letting his alma mater remain underutilized.

During a committee meeting, Stephen Chapman suggested the district perhaps look at turning the school into a K-12 academic magnet school. Board members had been discussing how to accommodate students in Phoenix Magnet’s academic program. By adding seventh and eighth grade, Phoenix will outgrow its current campus next year.

"It’s a great facility, and it’s not being utilized," Chapman said later of Bolton.

Going forward, Peabody Magnet may have the most to gain, leaving behind its stigma of being a "failing" school.

"This means everything for us," Principal Jamie Henagan said. "Now we are competitive with our other schools in the parish."

The state gives students zoned for schools rated D or F the option to transfer to other schools in the district with transportation provided. High school students zoned for Peabody don’t fall under that category any longer. Rapides still offers all high school students the option to open enroll their freshmen year, but they must provide their own transportation.

Henagan expects to see more students zoned for Peabody choose their neighborhood school. She said morale is already improved at the school and on the street where nearby W.O. Hall Elementary and Arthur F. Smith Middle Magnet improved performance scores, as well.

"Our whole street is growing and as the elementary school and junior high does better, it’s going to lead to us doing better as well," Henagan said.

Enrollment at Rapides five largest high schools

(2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012)

Alexandria Senior High School: 1,382. 1,378. 1,311. 1,282. 1,209. 

Bolton High School: 586. 549. 556. 578. 628.

Peabody Magnet High School: 586. 580. 572. 663. 659.

Pineville High School: 1,421. 1,444. 1,429. 1,412. 1,346.

Tioga High School: 999. 1,037. 967. 921. 908.

Source: Rapides Parish School Board, Louisiana Department of Education

State performance scores 2015-16 (2014-15 scores in parentheses)

Alexandria Senior High School: A, 101.6 (B, 92.8)

Bolton High School: C, 76 (C, 74.9) 

Peabody Magnet High School: C, 72.3 (D, 63.9) 

Pineville High School: A, 100.4 (B, 97.5)

Tioga High School: B, 95.1 (B, 95.1)

Source: Louisiana Department of Education

Percentage of students graduating (2015)

Alexandria Senior High School: 77

Bolton High School: 51

Peabody Magnet High School: 72

Pineville High School: 80

Tioga High School: 83

Source: Louisiana Department of Education

Average ACT score (2015)

Alexandria Senior High School: 19.5

Bolton High School: 21.5

Peabody Magnet High School: 16.7

Pineville High School: 21

Tioga High School: 18.8

Source: Louisiana Department of Education