Summary:
The city of Harrison, Arkansas, is served by eight schools spanning Kindergarten through 12th grade, split between the top-rated Harrison School District (ranked 8th in the state) and the Bergman School District (ranked 17th in the state), both of which are 5-star districts.
Among the elementary schools, Forest Heights Elementary School is the clear academic standout, achieving the highest test scores in the district despite having one of the highest poverty rates, suggesting its high per-student spending ($16,413) is used effectively. In contrast, Skyline Heights Elementary School has the lowest spending among Harrison elementary schools and the lowest test scores. At the middle school level, Harrison Middle School is a powerhouse in mathematics, with an extraordinary 93.4% of its 8th graders proficient in Algebra, far exceeding the state average. The high schools present a fascinating contrast: Harrison High School excels in Geometry (51.2% proficient) but struggles in Algebra, while Bergman High School excels in Algebra (57.4% proficient) but struggles in Geometry. Bergman High School also stands out for its exceptionally low student-teacher ratio of 3.8:1 and a dropout rate of just 0.3%, indicating a highly supportive environment.
A key takeaway is that high spending does not guarantee success, as Bergman Middle School achieves strong state rankings (84th percentile) with the lowest per-student spending ($10,404). Meanwhile, Harrison Kindergarten serves only Kindergarten students and has the highest free/reduced lunch rate (67.23%), reflecting a targeted investment in early childhood education. Overall, both districts offer excellent options, with Harrison schools generally showing higher test scores and Bergman schools providing smaller class sizes and personalized attention.
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