Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 31 schools in district

Lowery Elementary School

2389-B Hwy 1 South, Donaldsonville, LA 70346Ascension Parish →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 03–05Non-Charter
306
Students
Total enrolled
$15,936
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 11% vs nat'l
10.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 33% vs nat'l
39/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 22% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 306 students in grades 03–05 in Donaldsonville, Louisiana.
11% above average funding
District spends $15,936 per pupil, 11% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 39th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Lowery Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, serving grades 03–05 with 306 students. The district invests $15,936 per student — 11% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 10.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 90% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 39/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Lowery Elementary School

306
Total Students
10.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
90%
Free Lunch
29
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (03–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution153 male · 153 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility90%
National avg 52% · 274 students
Student Composition
94%
White2%
Hispanic / Latino3%
Black94%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 220009000047

Academic Outcomes at Lowery Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
39
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 39th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 24th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 70346

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,936Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,936
State avg
$18,624
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,012
Student Support$3,028
Administration$1,912
Operations$2,390
Other$1,594
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,936 spent per student, an estimated $7,060 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
32%
54%
State government
32.3%
Local (property tax)
53.9%
Federal programs
13.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 10.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 90% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Lake Elementary SchoolLakeside Primary SchoolPrairieville Primary SchoolGalvez Primary School
+14 more
↓
Middle
Galvez Middle SchoolGonzales Middle SchoolPrairieville Middle SchoolCentral Middle School
+4 more
↓
High School
Dutchtown High SchoolSt. Amant High SchoolEast Ascension High SchoolDonaldsonville High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
Grades03 – 05
Location—
CountyAscension Parish
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictAscension Parish →
Phone: (225)391-7500
NCES ID: 220009000047
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Donaldsonville seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Ascension Parish
High
Dutchtown High School
2,643 students · 09–12
30% FRL
High
St. Amant High School
2,411 students · 09–12
46% FRL
High
East Ascension High School
2,098 students · 09–12
● 44 opp55% FRL
Elem
Lake Elementary School
926 students · PK–08
43% FRL
Elem
Lakeside Primary School
853 students · PK–05
58% FRL
Elem
Prairieville Primary School
845 students · PK–05
38% FRL
Elem
Galvez Primary School
842 students · PK–05
48% FRL
Mid
Galvez Middle School
804 students · 06–08
54% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
2389-B Hwy 1 South, Donaldsonville, LA 70346
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.