Crawford Elementary School

Crawford Elementary School, a cozy primary school in Arcadia, Louisiana, operated by Bienville Parish, hosts 278 students, covering grades pre-K through 5. By comparison, Louisiana's public schools average about 453 students each, so Crawford Elementary School sits 39% leaner than that benchmark.

Across the 7 schools in Bienville Parish (1,799 students total), Crawford Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On demographics, Crawford Elementary School shows that the student body is overwhelmingly Black (91%); the rest breaks down as 6% White. That is meaningfully more Black than the county at large, where the share is closer to 40%.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 29 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 9.6:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 14.0:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 90% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Bienville Parish (around 73%), the school's rate is north of typical.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Crawford Elementary School is in the OUTPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations model, which fits a per-state line through proficiency and FRL share. Schools with this campus's poverty mix typically land near 19.8%; this one delivers 34.7%, a residual of +14.9 points.

In the surrounding community, the surrounding county (Bienville Parish) records that the typical household earns roughly $35,011 per year, roughly 13% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 22% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Bienville Parish runs 9 public schools (combined enrollment of about 1,799 students), of which Crawford Elementary School is one.

The closest other public school is Arcadia High School, roughly 0.1 miles away. Within ten miles, there are 3 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Crawford Elementary School at 2nd of 6; the average score across the group is 30.6%.

Geographically, the school is in an outlying area.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count climbed 5%: 265 students in 2018 compared to 278 in 2025. The Black share of enrollment increased from 84% to 91% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 12.1:1 in 2018 to 9.6:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, posts here usually surface around fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.