Summary:
Lexa, Arkansas is home to a single high school, Barton High School, which serves grades 7 through 12 and is part of the Barton School District, with an enrollment of 322 students.
Barton High School presents a notable paradox for parents to consider. On one hand, the school achieves a very high graduation rate of 94.8%, well above the state average of 90.1%, and maintains a low student-teacher ratio of 11.6:1, which can allow for more individualized attention. On the other hand, academic proficiency on state tests is significantly below state averages, with only 18.5% of students proficient in Mathematics and 22% in English Language Arts, compared to state averages of 44.1% and 39.4%, respectively. A particularly concerning area is Geometry, where proficiency plummeted to just 4.7% in the most recent school year. The school is ranked in the bottom 10% of Arkansas high schools (9th percentile).
A critical factor for parents to understand is that 100% of the student body is economically disadvantaged, as measured by free or reduced lunch eligibility. This context is essential when evaluating the school's test scores, as high poverty rates are strongly correlated with lower academic performance. The school spends $13,969 per student, a significant investment that has not yet translated into high test scores, though it does support the low student-teacher ratio. While the school excels at graduating students, the data clearly indicates a need for substantial improvement in core academic subjects, particularly in mathematics.
Thank you for your feedback!