Best public high schools in Louisiana

As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a '96 commencement address at Wellesley College, "Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead." If that's the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.

It's a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 49.6 million students enrolled in public pre-K-12 schools in fall 2022, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, about a third were in high school, enrolled across about 23,500 public secondary schools nationwide.

For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.

Stacker compiled a list of the best public high schools in Louisiana using 2027 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students. You can read more about Niche's methodology here.

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1 / 25

#25. Simsboro High School

- Location: Lincoln Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 532 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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2 / 25

#24. Thomas Jefferson High School for Advanced Studies

- Location: Jefferson Parish Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 527 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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3 / 25

#23. University Laboratory School

- Location: Baton Rouge, LA
- Enrollment: 1,463 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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4 / 25

#22. Many High School

- Location: Sabine Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 320 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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5 / 25

#21. South Terrebonne High School

- Location: Terrebonne Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 868 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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6 / 25

#20. Saline High School

- Location: Bienville Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 303 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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7 / 25

#19. Ruston High School

- Location: Lincoln Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 1,212 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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8 / 25

#18. Anacoco High School

- Location: Vernon Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 311 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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9 / 25

#17. Bolton Academy PreK-12 Academic and Performing Arts Magnet

- Location: Rapides Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 737 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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10 / 25

#16. Sterlington High School

- Location: Ouachita Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 513 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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11 / 25

#15. Alexandria Senior High School

- Location: Rapides Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 1,475 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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12 / 25

#14. Destrehan High School

- Location: St. Charles Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 1,435 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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13 / 25

#13. C.E. Byrd High School

- Location: Caddo Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 1,517 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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14 / 25

#12. Dutchtown High School

- Location: Ascension Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 2,029 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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15 / 25

#11. Avoyelles Public Charter School

- Location: Mansura, LA
- Enrollment: 735 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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16 / 25

#10. Zachary High School

- Location: Zachary Community Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 1,726 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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17 / 25

#9. West Monroe High School

- Location: Ouachita Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 2,041 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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18 / 25

#8. New Orleans Center for Creative Arts

- Location: New Orleans, LA
- Enrollment: 224 (3:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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19 / 25

#7. The Willow School New Orleans

- Location: New Orleans, LA
- Enrollment: 2,225 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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20 / 25

#6. Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy

- Location: Jefferson Parish Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 871 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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21 / 25

#5. Haynes Academy School for Advanced Studies

- Location: Jefferson Parish Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 872 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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22 / 25

#4. Caddo Parish Magnet High School

- Location: Caddo Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 869 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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23 / 25

#3. Baton Rouge Magnet High School

- Location: East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools, LA
- Enrollment: 1,593 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+