Capitol High School (Louisiana)

{{Infobox school

| logo = Capitol High logo.png

| address = 1000 N. 23rd Street

| city = Baton Rouge

| county = East Baton Rouge Parish

| state = Louisiana

| zipcode = 70802

| country = United States

| schooltype = Public secondary

| opened = 1950

| district = RSD-Capitol Education Foundation

| us_nces_school_id = 220031502469

| principal = Rhonda Irwin

| teaching_staff = 26.01 (FTE)

| enrollment = 259 (2023-2024){{Cite web |title=Capitol High School Directory Information (2023-2024 school year) |url=https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&InstName=capitol&State=22&SchoolType=1&SchoolType=2&SchoolType=3&SchoolType=4&SpecificSchlTypes=all&IncGrade=-1&LoGrade=-1&HiGrade=-1&ID=220054010420 |access-date=April 30, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.is/i8dxi |archive-date=May 1, 2025 |url-status=live |website=National Center for Education Statistics |language=en}}

| grade9 = 78

| grade10 = 63

| grade11 = 61

| grade12 = 57

| ratio = 9.96

| colors = Red and gold {{color box|red}} {{color box|gold}}

| mascot = Lion

| nickname = Golden Lions

| yearbook = Golden Lion

}}

Capitol High School is a public high school named after the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

History

Capitol Junior - Senior High School opened in 1950 as the second public secondary school for African Americans in the city.{{Cite web |date=2021 |title=History |url=https://capitolhighbr.org/history/ |access-date=September 18, 2022 |website=Capitol High School}} The school's campus on {{convert|40|acre|hectare}} was designed by Baton Rouge architect A. Hays Town.{{Cite web |last=Lemmon |first=Ann |date=June 28, 2012 |title=News Leader Newspaper Archives |url=https://blog.ebrpl.com/2012/06/28/news-leader-newspaper-archives/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229095844/https://capitolhighbr.org/history/ |archive-date=December 29, 2022 |access-date=September 18, 2022 |website=East Baton Rouge Parish Library}} In 1959, the high school and middle school split, and the middle school remained in the original building. The Capitol Senior High School building was constructed in 1960.

The state took control of the Capitol High in 2008, citing low performance.{{Cite web |last=Lussier |first=Charles |date=August 17, 2022 |title=Years after state takeover, Capitol High alumni seek local control: 'We want our history' |url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/education/article_98f44074-1ce9-11ed-813b-a7754a4bd329.amp.html |access-date=September 18, 2022 |website=The Advocate}} Capitol High School became part of the RSD-Capitol Education Foundation.{{Cite web |title=Search for Public School Districts - District Detail for RSD-Capitol Education Foundation |url=https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/district_detail.asp?Search=1&State=22&County=East+Baton+Rouge&DistrictPageNum=2&ID2=2200315 |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=nces.ed.gov |language=EN}} A plan to make it a KIPP school for the 2022-2023 school year fell through.{{Cite web |last=Lussier |first=Charles |date=August 25, 2022 |title=KIPP opts out of Capitol High, latest idea is new medically focused school |url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/education/article_d947e778-c0d4-11ec-a6ec-ebda7a84f296.amp.html |website=The Advocate}} Local control as part of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System returned during the 2023-2024 school year.{{Cite web |last=Lussier |first=Charles |title=BESE returns Capitol High to Baton Rouge system, but who will fix facilities, run school? |url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/education/article_28a0ef64-482e-11ed-b5b2-b3bb4a150fbb.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=The Advocate |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-06-15 |title=EBR school system will reclaim Capitol High School from charter |url=https://www.brproud.com/news/local-news/ebr-school-system-will-reclaim-capitol-high-school-from-charter/ |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=BRProud.com |language=en-US}}

Demographics

Capitol High's student body was 94.7% African American in 2024, and 71% of students are "economically disadvantaged". The school's test scores are very low.{{Cite news |date=2024 |title=Capitol High School |work=U.S. News & World Report |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/louisiana/districts/rsd-capitol-education-foundation/capitol-high-school-409428 |access-date=May 1, 2025}}

class="wikitable" style="float:left"
+Scorecard
Mathematics proficiency	style="text-align: center;" \| 2%
Reading proficiency	style="text-align: center;" \| 13%
Science proficiency	style="text-align: center;" \| 0%
Graduation rate	style="text-align: center;" \| 64%
colspan=2\|Source:U.S. News & World Report

School newspaper

The Leader newspaper is the school newspaper.{{Cite web|url=https://blog.ebrpl.com/2012/06/28/news-leader-newspaper-archives/|title=News Leader Newspaper Archives|website=East Baton Rouge Parish Library|date=June 28, 2012}}

Athletics

Capitol High athletics competes in the LHSAA. Lions are the school mascot and the school colors are red and gold.

=Championships=

(1) L.I.A.L.O. Football State Championship: 1955{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=Capitol Grew |url=https://www.capitolhighalumni.com/history |access-date=September 18, 2022 |website=Capitol Alumni Association}}

= Football =

In 2022, Johnathan Brantley was announced as head football coach.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wafb.com/2022/07/07/capitol-high-announces-new-football-coach/?outputType=amp|title=Capitol High announces new football coach|website=WAFB}}

Alumni

Seimone Augustus, WNBA basketball player{{Cite news |last=Weiner |first=Natalie |date=2021-09-20 |title=Seimone Augustus Found Her Voice Long Before Coaching |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/20/sports/basketball/seimone-augustus-lgbtq-sparks.html?unlocked_article_code=zB7XI1grTJFoRnElf957gvUYkQtL4ne2iLxClOP6UqEOBt815fyi3IkPWV3RY73i4XZHKsw0CZ6FK1ZHpB5eF8iPlAa0q6nnmjytLkF0xaJZ4VXLXIu-XkAg9N9GQm4tqxc35_L5jcyF7XCA7XNWWwnhPETMgvcBeefljzofFNs_Zz2pQsw5eFTcaNwIvqHefzK8TBQb3MdHhldY6R58ZIEdDSdSvrc_jJ3A-1VTVhtQaysx3L66G6Ypnbbru9EaO0jbtTBZhyI-4O1lYadQr42pODn5wh46oBUmzBoXXkrsBmGzKTqOVcctnhs58IEbN-kssnYN55Qb_UqI2K3dojg6QADCS3GBqc3Y_3vIfT1I&smid=share-url |access-date=2023-01-02 |issn=0362-4331}}
Brandon Bass, NBA basketball player{{Cite web |title=Brandon Bass Player Profile, Los Angeles Clippers - RealGM |url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Brandon-Bass/Summary/126 |access-date=2022-09-18 |website=basketball.realgm.com}}
Terrance Broadway, football player{{Cite web |title=Terrance Broadway, 2010 Dual Threat Quarterback - Rivals.com |url=https://n.rivals.com/content/athletes/terrance-broadway-31117?view=pv |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=n.rivals.com |language=en-US}}
Oliver Lafayette, NBA basketball player{{Cite web |title=Oliver Lafayette Player Profile, Boston Celtics - RealGM |url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Oliver-Lafayette/Summary/2026 |access-date=2022-09-18 |website=basketball.realgm.com}}
C. Denise Marcelle, state legislator{{Cite web |title=Five Reasons Why We Love Our Pride |url=https://capitolhighbr.org/five-reasons-why-we-love-our-pride/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427205220/https://capitolhighbr.org/five-reasons-why-we-love-our-pride/ |archive-date=April 27, 2023 |access-date=April 27, 2023 |website=capitolhigbr.org}}
Barbara Carpenter, state legislator
Alfred C. Williams, state legislator
Sidney Thornton, football player who was on two Super Bowl winning teams

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20230403092910/https://capitolhighbr.org/ School website]

Category:High schools in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Category:Public high schools in Louisiana

Category:Educational institutions established in 1950

Category:1950 establishments in Louisiana