Goza Middle School

Goza Middle School in Arkadelphia, AR, serves 560 students in grades 5 through 8 and is part of the Arkadelphia School District, which has a 2-star rating. The school has a 2-star rating for the 2025-2026 school year, ranking 202nd out of 327 middle schools in the state (38th percentile). With a free/reduced lunch rate of 59.11%, the school serves a community with significant economic need, and per-pupil spending has risen to $10,922.

Academically, Goza Middle School struggles to meet state averages in most core subjects. For the 2025-2026 school year, proficiency rates are below the state average in English Language Arts (33.5% vs. 39.4%), Reading (32.7% vs. 40.4%), Mathematics (28.7% vs. 44.1%), and Science (37.1% vs. 44.0%). This underperformance is especially stark when compared to nearby Bismarck Middle School, which serves a similar student population (69.53% free/reduced lunch) with nearly identical per-pupil spending ($10,913) and student-teacher ratios (14.4 vs. 14.9). Bismarck achieves a 3-star rating and significantly higher proficiency rates, particularly in Mathematics (42.3% vs. 28.7%) and Science (50.4% vs. 37.1%). This suggests that factors like curriculum and instructional quality, rather than funding or poverty, are driving the performance gap.

One notable exception is Goza’s Algebra program, where 8th graders achieve an exceptional 77.5% proficiency rate—more than double the state average of 36.9%. This "Algebra Island" phenomenon contrasts sharply with the school’s low 23.8% proficiency in standard 8th-grade math, indicating that a select group of students receives excellent advanced instruction while the majority struggle. Grade-level performance is inconsistent: 6th grade shows relative strength in English Language Arts (41.2%) and Science (43.8%), but 5th grade is a major concern, with Mathematics proficiency at just 23% (state average 45%). The school’s ranking has been volatile over the past decade, swinging from a high of 112th in 2015-2016 to a low of 223rd in 2024-2025, and the recent drop from a 3-star to a 2-star rating is a negative trend. Parents should consider these strengths and challenges when evaluating the school.