Vermilion Parish School system rises to No. 6 in LEAP Assessments

The Vermilion Parish School System is celebrating exceptional academic progress following the release of the 2026 Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) results. Districtwide, the percentage of students performing at the Mastery and Above level increased from 43% in 2025 to 46% in 2026, a three-point gain that propelled Vermilion Parish to 6th in the state of Louisiana among all school systems.
The results reflect the collective efforts of students, teachers, school leaders, support staff, families, and the community in maintaining a relentless focus on high-quality instruction and student success.
“These results are a celebration of the incredible work happening every day in our classrooms,” said Superintendent Tommy Byler. “Earning the No. 6 ranking statewide, is something our entire parish can be proud of. More importantly, these gains represent students who are learning at higher levels because of the dedication of outstanding teachers, principals, support staff, and families. We celebrate this achievement while remaining committed to ensuring every child continues to grow and succeed.”
Schools Making Remarkable Gains
Several Vermilion Parish schools recorded significant increases in students achieving Mastery and Above, highlighting growth across every region of the parish.
Among the district’s largest improvements were:
• Kaplan Elementary School, improving 11 percentage points to 47% Mastery and Above.
• Erath Middle School, increasing 10 percentage points to 58% Mastery and Above, making it one of the district’s highest-performing middle schools.
• North Vermilion Middle School, rising 6 percentage points to 57% Mastery and Above.
• Gueydan High School, increasing 6 percentage points to 36% Mastery and Above.
•Indian Bayou Elementary School, climbing 4 percentage points to 61% Mastery and Above.
• Kaplan High School, improving 4 percentage points to 48% Mastery and Above.
• Abbeville High School, increasing 4 percentage points to 20% Mastery and Above.
Additional schools posting gains included:
• North Vermilion High School (+2)
• LeBlanc Elementary School (+2)
• Jesse Owens Elementary School (+2)
• Cecil Picard Elementary School at Maurice (+1), which led the district with an outstanding 62% Mastery and Above.
• Forked Island-E. Broussard Elementary School (+1)
• J.H. Williams Middle School (+1)
The district also recognizes Dozier Elementary School, Meaux Elementary School, and Erath High School for maintaining their strong levels of students performing at Mastery and above.
Excellence Across Vermilion Parish
The district’s improvement reflects years of focused work to strengthen instruction, provide meaningful professional learning, analyze student data, and ensure every child receives the support needed to succeed. The district’s three-point improvement reflects continued progress in strengthening instruction and increasing student achievement.
While the statewide ranking is a significant accomplishment, district leaders emphasize that the greatest measure of success is the continued academic growth of Vermilion Parish students.
“Our work is far from finished,” Byler added. “These results affirm that we are moving in the right direction, but our mission remains the same and that is to provide every student with opportunities to excel and graduate prepared for college, careers, and life. We are proud of our progress and excited about what lies ahead.”