Here Are the Truancy Rates at Louisiana Schools for 2025

Truancy is a problem in schools all across Louisiana. These numbers have been high since the pandemic changed the game for schools in 2020.

KEEL News asked the state education leaders what constitutes truancy for a student.

How Does Louisiana Describe Truancy

Truancy: A student is considered truant once he or she receives five unexcused absences or five unexcused tardies in a semester.

Chronic Absenteeism: When a student is enrolled for at least 10 days and is absent 10% or more of days enrolled. This incorporates all absences: excused, unexcused, suspensions, and expulsions.

Bonnabel Magnet Academy in Jefferson Parish has the highest number of students considered truant. Chalmette, Ponchatoula, John Ehret and Airline High in Bossier round out the top 5. You can see the top 20 schools on the truancy list at the bottom of this post.

Several schools in Shreveport Bossier land on this list of the districts with the highest numbers of truants. The ones on the list below are typically the schools with the largest enrollments. But we also checked out the numbers by looking at the percentage of students considered truant.

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Highest Truancy Percentages at Shreveport Bossier Schools

Caddo Career and Technology Center 76%
Bossier High School 75%
Minden High School 75%
Booker T. Washington 74%
Linear Middle School 73%
Bossier Elementary 72%
Southwood High School 69%
Green Oaks High School 69%
Airline High School 69%
Plantation Park Elementary 69%

What Is Being Done to Combat Truancy

Louisiana is using several strategies to address truancy. The focus is on early detection and intervention. Several parishes also try to engage the family which includes things like home visits. The State Department of Education also engages with the Families in Need of Services (FINS) program to address the problem. Legal measures are also taken in chronic cases which could include denying driving privileges for habitual truants.