Summary:
The city of Marmaduke, Arkansas, is served by the Marmaduke School District, which includes two public schools: Marmaduke Elementary School (Pre-K through 6th grade) and Marmaduke High School (7th through 12th grade), serving a combined 648 students in a small, rural community.
Marmaduke Elementary School is the district's standout performer, consistently exceeding state averages in Mathematics (53.3% proficient vs. 44.1%) and Science (49.4% vs. 44.0%) on the 2025-2026 ATLAS exam. It has a strong ranking history, peaking at the 75th percentile (4 stars) in 2023-2024, though it has since settled to the 58th percentile (3 stars). In contrast, Marmaduke High School faces significant academic challenges, with its ranking plummeting from the 54th percentile (3 stars) to the 23rd percentile (1 star) over the same period. The high school underperforms state averages in every core subject, with a particularly alarming 5.2% proficiency in Algebra and 0% in Geometry. Despite a remarkably low student-teacher ratio of 4.4:1 and higher per-student spending ($14,120), these resources are not translating into academic success, creating a paradox where small class sizes may reflect enrollment decline rather than strategic advantage.
Both schools serve a high percentage of students from low-income families (62.7% at the elementary school and 57.91% at the high school). The high school's graduation rate of 86.7% is below the state average of 90.1%, though its dropout rate is very low at 0.7%. A notable bright spot is the high school's Biology performance, where 40% of students are proficient, exceeding the state average of 35.1%. The district's overall 2-star rating is likely dragged down by the high school's struggles, creating a "feeder problem" where strong elementary foundations may not be built upon. The declining performance trajectory for both schools warrants immediate attention to curriculum and resource allocation.
Thank you for your feedback!