Summary:
The Hazen School District in Hazen, Arkansas, serves 544 students across two schools: Hazen Elementary School (Pre-K through 6th grade) and Hazen High School (7th through 12th grade), with over 72% of students coming from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Hazen Elementary School is the stronger performer in the district, earning a 2-star rating in recent years while the high school consistently receives a 1-star rating. The elementary school shows a notable bright spot in its 6th-grade class, which outperforms state averages in English Language Arts (48.6% proficiency vs. 40.8% state) and Reading (42.9% vs. 41.7% state). However, overall elementary proficiency remains below state averages in most subjects, including Science (30.5% vs. 44% state). In contrast, Hazen High School faces significant academic challenges, with a 0% proficiency rate in Geometry and only 12.9% in Algebra, though it excels in Biology with a 48.2% proficiency rate that surpasses the state average of 42.7%.
Despite low test scores, Hazen High School boasts a strong 93% graduation rate, above the state average of 90.1%, and a low student-to-teacher ratio of 10.2:1. The district spends over $14,000 per student—well above the state average—yet ranks in the bottom 15% of Arkansas districts. This high spending with low academic results suggests resources may be directed toward non-academic support, such as credit recovery programs, which could explain the high graduation rate despite poor test performance. The elementary school has a higher student-to-teacher ratio of 15.9:1 and spends slightly less per student at $14,326.
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