Tensas Parish

Located at 512 Plank Road in St. Joseph, Louisiana, Tensas Parish School District is an active, traditional public school system dedicated to serving its localized parish community within a rural remote setting. Operating two primary school facilities, the non-charter district provides a continuous PK–12 educational pathway that guides learners from early childhood pre-kindergarten through high school graduation. Serving a close-knit student body of 301 enrolled students, the district acts as a central educational hub for the surrounding region, combining localized community values with an accessible public school framework.

To support its student body, Tensas Parish maintains an impressive ratio of educators and support professionals, boasting a total staff context of nearly 122 full-time equivalent positions. This workforce includes approximately 58 full-time teachers, 15 instructional aides, and 49 support personnel, resulting in an remarkably low student-to-teacher ratio of roughly 5 to 1 that allows for highly individualized instruction and attentive mentorship. The district's student population reflects a diverse rural demographic—comprising predominantly Black students alongside White, Hispanic, and multiracial peers, with a balanced gender distribution of 152 female and 149 male students. For parents, students, and academic researchers, Tensas Parish offers a compelling model of small-scale rural public education backed by an exceptionally strong ratio of supportive instructional staff.