Capitol High School (Louisiana)

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

Capitol High School
Location
1000 N. 23rd Street Baton Rouge , East Baton Rouge Parish , Louisiana 70802 United States
Information
School type	Public secondary
Opened	1950
School district	RSD-Capitol Education Foundation
NCES School ID	220031502469
Principal	Rhonda Irwin
Teaching staff	26.01 (FTE)[1]
Enrollment	259 (2023-2024)[1]
• Grade 9	78
• Grade 10	63
• Grade 11	61
• Grade 12	57
Student to teacher ratio	9.96[1]
Color(s)	Red and gold
Mascot	Lion
Nickname	Golden Lions
Yearbook	Golden Lion

History

Capitol Junior - Senior High School opened in 1950 as the second public secondary school for African Americans in the city.^[2] The school's campus on 40 acres (16 hectares) was designed by Baton Rouge architect A. Hays Town.^[3] 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.^[2]

The state took control of the Capitol High in 2008, citing low performance.^[4] Capitol High School became part of the RSD-Capitol Education Foundation.^[5] A plan to make it a KIPP school for the 2022-2023 school year fell through.^[6] Local control as part of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System returned during the 2023-2024 school year.^[7][8]

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.^[9]

Scorecard

Mathematics proficiency	2%
Reading proficiency	13%
Science proficiency	0%
Graduation rate	64%
Source:U.S. News & World Report[9]

School newspaper

The Leader newspaper is the school newspaper.^[10]

Athletics

Capitol High athletics competes in the LHSAA. Lions are the school mascot and the school colors are red and gold.^[10]

Championships

• (1) L.I.A.L.O. Football State Championship: 1955^[11]

Football

In 2022, Johnathan Brantley was announced as head football coach.^[12]

Alumni

• Seimone Augustus, WNBA basketball player^[13]
• Brandon Bass, NBA basketball player^[14]
• Terrance Broadway, football player^[15]
• Oliver Lafayette, NBA basketball player^[16]
• C. Denise Marcelle, state legislator^[17]
• Barbara Carpenter, state legislator^[17]
• Alfred C. Williams, state legislator
• Sidney Thornton, football player who was on two Super Bowl winning teams