Summary
Malvern Elementary School in Malvern, AR, serves 781 students from Pre-K through 4th grade and is part of the Malvern School District. The school has shown a remarkable upward trend, recently earning its highest performance rating in a decade by jumping from the 15th to the 42nd percentile in statewide rankings. This improvement is especially notable because the school serves a high-poverty population, with over 76% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, yet it is outperforming its district average in every subject—particularly in Mathematics, where proficiency rates are 10.1 points higher.
A key finding is the dramatic difference between 3rd and 4th grade performance. In the most recent school year, Malvern’s 3rd graders exceeded the state average in all subjects, with a standout 55.2% proficiency in Math. However, the same cohort of students, as 4th graders, fell significantly below the state average, especially in Math where the gap was 21.7 points. This "4th-grade slide" suggests a potential challenge in the transition to upper elementary grades and is a critical area for the school to address. Compared to nearby schools, Malvern is outperforming Cutter-Morning Star Elementary School, which has a similar poverty rate, but trails higher-performing schools like Lakeside Intermediate School and Poyen Elementary School, which have significantly lower poverty rates.
Malvern Elementary spends a substantial $14,922 per student, which is higher than many higher-performing neighbors like Lakeside Intermediate ($10,930) and Poyen Elementary ($10,593). This higher spending is common for schools serving high-poverty populations, but it raises a question about resource efficiency. While the school is making clear progress, particularly in 3rd grade, the 4th-grade performance gap suggests there may be opportunities to optimize how resources are used to ensure all students succeed. Overall, Malvern Elementary is a school on the rise, with strong recent gains that parents should find encouraging, especially given the challenges it faces.
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