Alfred M. Barbe High School

Alfred M. Barbe High School is a well-populated high school in Lake Charles, Louisiana, part of Calcasieu Parish. The school works with 1,908 students in grades 9 through 12. Enrollment runs roughly 168% bigger than the state mean of about 711.

Calcasieu Parish comprises 56 schools with combined enrollment of 27,851 students; Alfred M. Barbe High School is among them.

On demographics, Alfred M. Barbe High School lists that 52% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. Other groups include 27% Black, 11% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 3% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 66% White, putting the school's mix visibly less White than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, The school currently runs with 113 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 16.9:1. The state averages around 18.0:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 41% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. That share is noticeably below Calcasieu Parish's rate of about 59%.

In the area at large, census data for Calcasieu Parish shows median household income runs about $67,564, about 25% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 13% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Calcasieu Parish's 61 public schools (combined enrollment of about 30,278 students), Alfred M. Barbe High School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is S. J. Welsh Middle School, roughly 0.7 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The school occupies a high-density site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Alfred M. Barbe High School's enrollment has shrank 6% since 2018, when it stood at 2,032 (now 1,908). The Hispanic share of enrollment rose from 3% to 11% over that span. Class-load math has fell: from 20.4:1 in 2018 to 16.9:1 in 2025.

Within the allk12 community for this school, posts here usually surface around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.