Best Public Schools in Paragould, AR

The 13 public schools in Paragould, Arkansas, serve students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade across two distinct districts, offering a mix of high-performing and rapidly improving options for families.

The city's educational landscape is defined by a clear performance and socioeconomic divide between its two districts. The Greene County Technical School District is the higher-performing district overall, ranking in the 86th percentile statewide. Its standout schools include Greene City Technical Elementary School, which earned a 4-star rating and boasts proficiency rates in English and math that far exceed state averages. Greene City Technical Junior High School is a powerhouse in mathematics, with 8th graders achieving a 94.9% proficiency rate in Algebra. In contrast, the Paragould School District serves a student population where every school reports a 100% free/reduced lunch rate, indicating high poverty. Despite this challenge, Woodrow Wilson Elementary School stands out by consistently outperforming state averages in English and reading. Paragould High School has shown remarkable improvement, jumping from the 26th to the 53rd percentile in state rankings over just two years.

Key metrics reveal interesting contrasts. While the Greene County Technical District generally leads in test scores, Paragould Junior High posts a strong 71.2% Algebra proficiency rate, though this success does not carry over to Paragould High School, where Algebra proficiency drops to 24.6%. Spending per student varies widely, from $9,804 at Oak Grove Middle School to $16,865 at Greene City Technical Primary School. Student-teacher ratios are generally low, ranging from 9.5 at both high schools to 19.3 at Paragould Primary School. The Greene County Technical District's vertically-aligned math curriculum, from middle school through high school, appears to be a model for sustained academic success.