In recent years, the use of social networking sites has grown tremendously especially among the teens and high school students. However, very little is known about the scale of use, the purpose, how students use these sites and, more specifically, whether these sites help or hurt their academic progress. This study investigates how high school students are using social networks for school- or education-based work. The study conducts survey among students of four schools in Rapides Parish, Louisiana and measures the usage, time spent on social networking sites, the specific websites that are being accessed, and the subjects being studied while on social networking sites, and tries to find out if these are helping or hurting the students' academic progress. The purpose of this research is to help education administrators, teachers and parents to discover how and whether social networking sites helping their students in their learning process. The study also provides recommendations to make the use of social networking sites effective and beneficial for the students.