Langston Elementary Leadership Academy Magnet School

Langston Elementary Leadership Academy Magnet School in Hot Springs, AR, serves 504 students in grades PK-6 and is part of the Hot Springs School District, where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, reflecting significant socioeconomic challenges in the area.

Langston has experienced a dramatic academic decline over the past decade, dropping from the 61st percentile in 2015-2016 to the 17th percentile by 2025-2026. A major concern is a "6th grade cliff," where proficiency rates plummet: only 10.7% of 6th graders are proficient in English Language Arts, compared to 28.2% district-wide, and just 8.6% in science versus 28.1% district-wide. Despite spending $16,502 per student—higher than nearby high-performing schools like Lakeside Intermediate School ($10,930) and Lake Hamilton Intermediate School ($10,637)—results lag significantly. However, there is a silver lining: 3rd graders outperform the district average in math (43.3% vs. 40.3%), and recent data shows a 12.7 percentage point improvement in ELA proficiency over two years, suggesting recent interventions may be helping.

Compared to other magnet schools in the district, Langston struggles. Park Magnet, an IB PYP World School, also serves 100% poverty students but ranks in the 76th percentile, highlighting that curriculum and leadership matter more than the magnet label alone. Nearby Oaklawn STEM Magnet School (19th percentile) outperforms Langston in science (33.1% vs. 23.9%) and reading (27.9% vs. 26.2%). The most dramatic gap is with Lake Hamilton Intermediate School (87th percentile, 70.5% poverty) and Lakeside Intermediate School (81st percentile, 49.5% poverty), which spend far less per student yet achieve proficiency rates double or triple Langston’s, indicating that concentrated poverty and instructional effectiveness are key challenges.