Summary:
The city of Des Arc, Arkansas, is served by the highly-rated Des Arc School District, which includes two public schools: Des Arc Elementary School (Pre-K through 6th grade) and Des Arc High School (7th through 12th grade). The district itself ranks in the 86th percentile in Arkansas, but the standout institution is the high school, which has achieved an elite state ranking of 8th out of 293 high schools, earning a 5-star rating. This is a significant leap from its already strong performance the previous year, while the elementary school remains a solid, above-average school with a 4-star rating.
Key metrics highlight a clear difference in performance between the two schools. Des Arc High School boasts a 93.0% graduation rate, well above the state average of 90.1%, and outperforms state averages in nearly every subject. Its proficiency in advanced math and science is particularly impressive, with Geometry proficiency at 52.5% (nearly double the state's 26.4%) and Biology at 58.1%. In contrast, Des Arc Elementary School shows more variable results, with a notable decline in English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency from 48.3% to 41.9% over the past year, while the high school saw a massive jump in ELA from 38.8% to 49.3% in the same period.
An interesting finding is the "Des Arc Pipeline" effect: while the elementary school provides a strong foundation, the high school amplifies that learning to elite levels. Both schools serve a population with over 73% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, making the high school's top-10 state ranking a powerful indicator of its effectiveness in overcoming socioeconomic barriers. The district also invests strategically, spending $2,917 more per student at the high school ($13,482 vs. $10,565) and maintaining a lower student-teacher ratio (12.2 vs. 15.5), which likely contributes to its outstanding outcomes.
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