Emily C. Watkins Elementary

Emily C. Watkins Elementary is one of the medium-sized primary schools in Laplace, Louisiana, one of the schools within St. John the Baptist Parish, with 551 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 8. That puts it 22% larger than the typical public school in Louisiana, which averages around 453 students.

St. John the Baptist Parish comprises 10 schools with combined enrollment of 5,039 students; Emily C. Watkins Elementary is among them.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Emily C. Watkins Elementary reports that 56% of the student body identifies as Black. Beyond that, the school lists 25% Hispanic, 14% White, 3% multiracial. That mix tracks the wider county fairly closely.

On the resource side, Emily C. Watkins Elementary reports 45 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 12.2:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 14.0:1, putting Emily C. Watkins Elementary tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 81% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy.

With demographic context factored in, Emily C. Watkins Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 26.5% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 21.0%.

In the surrounding community, St. John the Baptist Parish reports that median household earnings sit near $66,630, roughly 18% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 9%. Across St. John the Baptist Parish's 10 public schools (combined enrollment of about 5,039 students), Emily C. Watkins Elementary is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: John L. Ory Communications Magnet Elementary, around 0.9 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 7 other public schools cluster around Emily C. Watkins Elementary. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Emily C. Watkins Elementary ranks 4th on composite proficiency, behind the local average of 25.2%.

Emily C. Watkins Elementary operates from a bedroom-community location.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Emily C. Watkins Elementary has ticked up 10%, going from 502 students in 2018 to 551 in 2025. Hispanic enrollment moved from 15% to 25% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 16.2:1 in 2018 to 12.2:1 today.

Within the allk12 community for this school, posts here usually surface around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.