Fort Polk: Education Options for Your Children

Now that you have a plan for where you’re going to live, if you have children, your mind is likely turning toward their education, and if you don’t have children, you may be thinking about your own education options. 

Let’s talk about the options for children first. There’s plenty to cover. 

Two public school districts serve the children of Fort Polk. The Vernon Parish School District serves approximately 2,000 military-connected children, while the Beauregard Parish School District serves close to 200 military-connected children. 

Fort Polk is actually located within the Vernon Parish School District, so you can expect transportation to be part of the package within the transportation circle of the school you choose. On their website, if you click on the Campus icon at the top of the page, a dropdown menu of all the schools in the district will appear. 

All told, two high schools (Pickering and Leesville); one dedicated junior high; one middle school and five elementary schools (Pickering, North Polk, Parkway, East and West) serve the area closest to the base. In addition, the district offers virtual school. 

The district is also keenly aware that it serves military families, and has a military liaison office to help you get settled and to learn about all the opportunities they offer that will help your children with their academic goals beyond high school. 

You can download enrollment forms for the Vernon Parish District here.

Another option is the Beauregard Parish School District, which is south of the base in another parish. For some families, this is a fine option. It just depends on your needs and preferences.  See the post on housing options for more on the benefits of living in different areas. 

Again, click on the Campus icon on the district’s home page for a drop down menu of the different schools in the parish. DeRidder High School and DeRidder Junior High make the most sense for anyone who lives in DeRidder and commutes to Fort Polk, as do Carver Elementary, K.R. Hanchey Elementary and Pinewood Elementary. 

You can read about each school and each district’s performance scores as measured by the state here. And you can discover state graduation requirements here. 

A third option is private school, which can either be your own home school, or one of two schools in the area. Faith Training Christian Academy offers a Christian education, using the A Beka program primarily for K-4 through 12th grade. First Assembly Christian Academy provides day care and education for ages 6 weeks through 8th grade. In addition, their extracurricular activities are open to homeschool students. 

Finally, of course, homeschooling is an option. To ensure you comply with state attendance laws, click here. 

Comment with your questions or insight below! We look forward to talking with you more!

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