Schools in Calico Rock, AR

The Calico Rock School District in Calico Rock, Arkansas, serves 347 students across two public schools: Calico Rock High School (grades 7-12) and Calico Rock Elementary School (grades K-6), operating in a small, rural community with a 4-star district rating ranking 75th out of 251 districts in the state.

Calico Rock Elementary School stands out as the stronger academic performer, consistently exceeding state averages in English Language Arts (48.6% vs. 39.4%), Reading (48.6% vs. 40.4%), and Science (50.4% vs. 44.0%) in the 2025-2026 school year. Its 3rd-grade class is exceptional, with proficiency rates in Reading (69%) and English Language Arts (65.5%) far surpassing state averages. In contrast, Calico Rock High School shows mixed results: it excels in Algebra (44.4% vs. 36.9% state) and Science (46.2% vs. 44.0% state), but struggles in Geometry (21.4% vs. 26.4% state) and lags slightly in English Language Arts (38.7% vs. 39.4% state). The high school boasts an exceptional student-teacher ratio of 6.2:1, compared to the elementary school's 11.1:1, and a strong graduation rate of 92.0% with a low dropout rate of 1.7%.

Both schools serve an extremely high-poverty population, with over 98% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. The district invests heavily per student—$15,308 at the high school and $15,722 at the elementary school—well above national averages. A key finding is the "3rd Grade Bump" at the elementary school, where 3rd graders dramatically outperform state averages, though this success doesn't fully carry into 4th grade. Additionally, both schools showed significant year-over-year improvement from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, with the elementary school's English Language Arts proficiency jumping from 37.9% to 48.6% and the high school's from 29.6% to 38.7%, reflecting positive trends in state rankings.