Education 

Rapides Parish School District currently serves approximately 25,000 students at 54 facilities. To register a child for public school in Rapides Parish, contact the Rapides Parish School Board at 318-487-0888. To be eligible, a potential student must have a birth certificate, a current immunization record, and records from the student's previous school  

The district is strong because of staff and faculty and because of the students that make up the district. Rapides is a wonderful community and the schools "Expect The Best", from students and employees. For a list of schools, test scores please call the school board office.
 

Higher Education Facilities:  

Louisiana College, (LC)
Phone # 318-487-7011 

Louisiana State University at Alexandria, (LSUA)
Phone # 318-357-3672 

Louisiana Technical College (LTC)
Phone # 318-487-5439 

Northwestern State University, (NSU)
Phone # 318-357-6011 

Private Schools 

Alexandria Country Day 318-448-1475
Alpine Christian 318-640-3804
Grace Christian 318-445-8735
Lamourie Academy 318-449-8777
Maranatha Christian 318-640-1961
Montessori Educational 318-445-0138
Smyrna Jr. Academy 318-442-3621
 

Government, Taxes, Voter Services and Vehicle Registration 

The city of Alexandria has a mayor and seven council members. Five council members are elected from five districts and two council members are elected as at large members. The mayor is responsible for managing the city and is not a council member. Pineville is governed by a mayor and five aldermen. The mayor is a voting member of council and is elected on an at-large basis. The aldermen are elected from the district where they reside. Rapides Parish has a county commission, which is referred to as a Police Jury. The Police Jury has nine members and elects a president from its members.  

There is a four percent state sales tax in Louisiana and a parish sales tax of two percent. Local sales tax can be from one to two percent for a maximum of eight percent. Property taxes are base on the millage rate of a particular area. Property taxes are collected to pay for fire protection, drainage improvement, roads, public safety and law enforcement, education and other special assessments. The Louisiana Homestead Exemption Act allows those who qualify to exempt residential property taxes on the first $75,000 of a home's assessed value. There are no local wage or income taxes, they are prohibited by Louisiana state law. State income taxes are based on income and range from four to six percent. 

To register to vote in Rapides Parish, you must register 24 days before primary or a general election. There are no minimum residency requirements. The applicant voter is required to present documentation bearing the applicant's signature. The Registrar of Voters is in the Rapides parish Courthouse in Alexandria. 

Newcomers to Rapides Parish are required by state law to register vehicles and obtain a title thirty days after establishing residency. Proof of liability insurance is also required. There is also a thirty day requirement, after establishing residency, to obtain a Louisiana Driver's License. Applicants who have a valid out-of ?state license are not required to take a road test, but completion of a vision and other tests are required
 

Area Hospitals 

Alexandria and Pineville serve as the medical center for Central Louisiana with four major hospitals to care for area residents and veterans. Located throughout the surrounding parishes, are local hospitals with the capabilities to meet almost every medical need. 

Rapides Regional Medical Center 

Founded in 1903 at the corner of Second and Lee streets in Alexandria, Louisiana, Rapides Regional Medical Center has grown to meet the continually changing needs of our patients and the rapidly advancing technology of modern healthcare. Licensed for 359 beds, Rapides Regional is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.
The hospital offers a wide array of services, including general medicine, general surgery, cardiovascular surgery, bypass surgery, cardiac rehabilitation, neurology, neurosurgery, intensive care and telemetry, oncology services, senior behavioral health services, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedic services, physical therapy, skilled nursing services, respiratory therapy, lithotripsy and various outpatient services. The medical staff includes physicians in more than 30 medical specialties.
Specialized clinics include: Rapides Women's and Children's Hospital, Total Cancer Care at Rapides Regional Medical Center, The Oncology Care Center, Rapides Heart Center, an MDA clinic in the Women's and Children's Hospital and its own MRI Center.
RRMC opened its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in spring of 2002. Highly-trained physicians and staff care for newborns in the NICU who are premature, have respiratory problems, sepsis or infections, among other conditions and illnesses. Also, in the Spring of 2003 they opened their newest addition: Central Louisiana's only Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The six-bed PICU is led by medical director Taj Khan, M.D., one of only 650 pediatric intensivists in the country. Having a PICU in this community means families no longer have to travel to major metropolitan areas to get advanced medical treatment for their children. 

Christus St. Frances Cabrini 

Opened on March 19, 1950, the $3 million 126-bed hospital offered its patients the most modern treatment with the compassionate care from a dedicated staff. Today, Cabrini is a leader among Central Louisiana healthcare facilities.
Cabrini's specialized clinics include: The Cabrini Center for Cancer Care, The Heart Center at Sisters of Charity-St. Frances Cabrini Hospital, The Family Life Center, Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital Hospice Care and The Louisiana Sports Medicine Center at Cabrini.
 

Huey P. Long Medical Center 

Erected in 1939 and was first named the Mid-State Charity Hospital, Huey P Long Memorial was renamed in honor of Governor and US Senator, Huey P. Long. It is a licensed 183-bed facility and is currently accredited. Huey P. Long Hospital offers services in Internal medicine, OB-GYN, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, General Surgery, Oral Surgery, Urology and Emergency Medicine.  

Natchitoches Parish Hospital 

The Natchitoches Parish Hospital (NPH), built in 1956 through a special property tax, is a 78-bed facility that includes 45 medical/surgical beds, 10 OB/GYN beds, three labor, delivery and recovery rooms, eight intensive care unit/critical care unit beds and a 15-bed Geriatric Psychiatric Unit. The hospital also houses a 112-bed skilled nursing home.
The hospital's medical staff offers a variety of specialties including cardiology, pediatrics, surgery, ophthalmology, OB/GYN, orthopedics, radiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, psychiatry, podiatry and family practice. Comprehensive rehabilitation service offers physical therapy, speech therapy and cardiac rehab and the wellness program is open to the public. NPH is the sole provider of 24-hour ambulance service for the parish and the Emergency Department treats more than 17,000 patients annually. 

Avoyelles Hospital 

Originally the Abramson Clinic, the Avoyelles Hospital has grown from a small clinic with 1 physician and 5 employees to a 55-bed facility with 27 physicians on staff, 185 employees and a yearly payroll of $5.9 million. The hospital continues to be a vital asset to the community and offers a vast array of services to the residents of Avoyelles Parish.
These services include: EMT, family practice, general surgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery and psychiatry, ICU and telemetry monitoring, geriatric behavioral health care, day surgery, diagnostic radiology, computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, echocardiogram, endoscopy, cardiac stress & pulmonary function testing, chronic and acute pain clinic, and physical and occupational rehabilitation services.

Dubuis Hospital of Alexandria

Founded in December of 1993 at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital, Dubuis is a hospital within a hospital offering long term acute care. The hospital is fully licensed and accredited.
Their health care offerings generally fall into one of the following five categories: Medically Complex or Cardiac Care, Ventilator Dependent, Respiratory Rehabilitation, Wound Care and Rehabilitation. All patients must be referred by a physician. 

Throughout the patient's stay, Dubuis focuses on the whole person, providing holistic care that includes physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

Central State Hospital

Located in Pineville, Central Louisiana State Hospital (CLSH) is a free standing, full service psychiatric hospital licensed by the State of Louisiana, fully accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and certified by the Federal Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA).
The medical facility provides acute, intermediate, and long-term mental health care, treatment and rehabilitative services to children, adolescents, and adults. Treatment services provided by the hospital include individual, group, and family therapy, recreational, occupational, art and music therapy, speech and hearing therapy, nutritional counseling, dental services, pastoral care services, limited diagnostic medical services, and general educational services.