Summary:
The city of Mena, Arkansas, is served by eight schools spanning Kindergarten through 12th grade across two strong, 4-star rated districts: the Mena School District (ranked 45th in the state) and the Ouachita River School District (ranked 61st). While both districts face significant economic challenges, with an average free/reduced lunch rate of nearly 65%, several schools defy these odds with exceptional performance.
The clear academic standout is Mena Middle School, the highest-ranked school in the city (82nd percentile). Its math program is exceptional: 100% of its 8th graders taking the Algebra ATLAS exam were proficient, far exceeding the state average of 73.9%. For families prioritizing science, Holly Harshman Elementary School leads the district with a 54.8% science proficiency rate, while Acorn High School also shines in science (53.2%) and boasts the area's highest graduation rate at 94.3%. In contrast, Mena High School posts a solid 85.7% graduation rate. The alternative schools serve very different populations: Oden Schools successfully serves 133 at-risk students with a 92.8% graduation rate, while the tiny Polk County Virtual Academy (12 students) has a concerning 10% dropout rate.
Overall, the data reveals that high poverty does not preclude high performance here. Mena Middle School (63.1% poverty) and Acorn High School (64.8% poverty) both achieve top-tier results, suggesting effective teaching and school culture. However, some schools show year-over-year ranking volatility—like Acorn Elementary School, which swung from the 61st to 84th percentile and back to 53rd—likely due to small class sizes. Per-student spending varies widely, from $7,614 at the virtual academy to $15,195 at Oden Schools, while traditional schools cluster between $10,630 and $13,615. For parents, the choice often comes down to a school's specific strengths: math at Mena Middle, science at Holly Harshman, or graduation support at Acorn High.
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