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Tensas Parish

Louisiana · Public K-12

Tensas Parish runs 2 public K-12 schools per the latest NCES counts, with an average school size of about 151 students. By grade band, the county runs 1 elementary and 1 high schools.

7-year change in Tensas Parish

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
301
-222 (-42%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
2
-1 (-33%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
9%
was 11%
% Hispanic
3%
was 1%
% Black
86%
was 87%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
2
1 districts
Enrollment
301
NCES CCD
Median income
$36,615
Below Louisiana avg
Free/reduced lunch
95.3%
Above Louisiana avg
Elementary
1
154 students
Middle
0
schools
High
1
147 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Tensas Parish Public Schools
301 students · 1 district in Tensas Parish

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Tensas Parish residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".

County residents
White
42%
Hispanic
1%
Black
54%
Asian
1%
Two or more
3%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
9%
Hispanic
3%
Black
86%
Asian
0%
Two or more
2%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
14.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
25.7%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
11.4%
civilian labor
Median age
48
21.4% under 18

Test scores in Tensas Parish

Latest 2023-24 ELA proficiency, 2 schools ranked. Louisiana state average: 42.0%.

Top 2 schools (ELA)
  1. Tensas Elementary School· 34.0%
  2. Tensas High School· 21.0%

See all 2 schools in Tensas Parish ranked by score →

All schools (2)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Tensas Elementary SchoolSt. JosephElementaryPK-05154·
Tensas High SchoolSt. JosephHigh06-12147·

Cities in Tensas Parish

St. Joseph2 schools

About Tensas Parish

Tensas Parish is a small Louisiana county of about 3,935 residents, home to 2 public schools and roughly 301 students.

Stepping back, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $36,615, about 15% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate is around 26%. That income level is 35% noticeably below the Louisiana median.

For a sense of the school types, Tensas Parish comprises 1 elementary school (154 students), and 1 high school (147).

The largest single district in Tensas Parish is Tensas Parish Public Schools, which alone enrolls about 301 students.

Five-year track record. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 42%: 523 students in SY 2017-18 versus 301 in SY 2024-25. The school count fell from 3 to 2 across the same 7-year window.

Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Tensas Parish discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.

Frequently asked questions

How many public schools are in Tensas Parish?
Tensas Parish, Louisiana has 2 public K-12 schools serving approximately 301 students.
How many high schools are in Tensas Parish?
Tensas Parish, Louisiana has 1 public high school, serving approximately 147 students.
How many elementary schools are in Tensas Parish?
Tensas Parish, Louisiana has 1 public elementary school, serving approximately 154 students.
What is the largest school district in Tensas Parish?
Tensas Parish Public Schools is the largest school district in Tensas Parish, serving approximately 301 students. The county contains 1 school district overall.
What is the population of Tensas Parish?
Tensas Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 3,935, with a median age of 48. About 21.4% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in Tensas Parish?
Median household income in Tensas Parish is $36,615, below the Louisiana average of $55,944. About 25.7% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Tensas Parish?
Approximately 14.6% of adults 25 and older in Tensas Parish hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Tensas Parish qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 95.3% of students in Tensas Parish public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is higher than the Louisiana county average of 69.7%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Tensas Parish schools?
Across Tensas Parish public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 10.8 to 1.
What is the racial makeup of Tensas Parish?
Tensas Parish residents are approximately 42% White, 1% Hispanic, 54% Black, 1% Asian, 3% two or more races according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data