South Louisiana News

Of the many ethnicities represented in St. Mary Parish schools, white was the most prevalent ethnicity among St. Mary Parish students in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Louisiana Department of Education.

Of the 8,177 students attending St. Mary Parish schools, 38.7% were white. Black students were the second largest ethnicity making up 37.1% of St. Mary Parish students.

In the previous school year, white was also the most common student ethnicity in St. Mary Parish, representing 39.4% of the student body.

Berwick Junior High School had the most diverse student body in St. Mary Parish, with American Indian, Asian, Black, Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Hispanic, multiracial, and white.

Compared to the previous year, total enrollment in public schools in the county dropped by 1.9%, in the 2022-23 school year

In 2022, there was roughly one teacher for every 18 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. A higher student-to-teacher ratio has been found to negatively impact students' school performance.

The majority of Louisiana students were identified as white and Black, representing 48% and 37% of the state student body respectively during the 2021-22 academic year. Hispanic students made up 8.6% of the student body, and other ethnic minorities made up 5.6%.

Only 22% of Louisiana’s teachers are Black or Latino, compared to about 48% of the state's K–12 students who identify as either race.

School name	Most prevalent ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Morgan City High School	White	41%	692
Hattie A. Watts Elementary School	Black	40.7%	592
Berwick High School	White	73.2%	492
Centerville High School	White	54%	483
Berwick Elementary School	White	64.2%	477
V. B. Glencoe Charter School	White	61.1%	470
Morgan City Junior High School	Hispanic	42%	460
Patterson High School	Black	45.3%	428
Patterson Junior High School	Black	44.3%	384
Raintree Elementary School	Black	82.1%	375
Berwick Junior High School	White	70.1%	371
M. E. Norman Elementary School	White	39.4%	348
Wyandotte Elementary School	Hispanic	33.2%	337
Bayou Vista Elementary School	White	59.8%	331
West St. Mary High School	Black	73.6%	326
Franklin Senior High School	Black	75.6%	287
J. S. Aucoin Elementary School	Hispanic	73%	274
W. P. Foster Elementary School	Black	78%	241
Lagrange Elementary School	Black	77.7%	215
Julia B. Maitland School	Black	54.3%	208
Franklin Junior High School	Black	77.9%	199
B. Edward Boudreaux Middle School	Black	85%	187