Summary:
The Piggott School District in Piggott, Arkansas, serves 814 students across two schools: Piggott Elementary School (Pre-K through 6th grade) and Piggott High School (7th through 12th grade), with the district ranking in the 31st percentile statewide.
Piggott Elementary School is the district's standout performer, showing an upward trend in its state ranking (from the 36th to the 48th percentile) and consistently outperforming the district average in English, reading, math, and science. Its 5th and 6th graders are a particular strength, exceeding state averages in reading and science. In contrast, Piggott High School faces significant academic challenges, with proficiency rates in core subjects often 10-15 percentage points below state averages. For example, only 24.6% of high school students are proficient in English Language Arts compared to the state's 39.4%. Despite this, the high school boasts a strong 95% graduation rate and an exceptionally low student-to-teacher ratio of 6.5:1, compared to the elementary school's 14.2:1.
A key paradox is that Piggott High School spends $2,407 more per student ($14,166 vs. $11,759) and has far smaller class sizes than the elementary school, yet its academic outcomes are much lower. This suggests the high school's struggles are tied to factors beyond funding, such as its high rate of economic disadvantage (63.33% free/reduced lunch vs. 29.75% at the elementary school). A bright spot is that 9th graders at the high school outperform the state in reading (41.6% vs. 40.6%) and algebra (34.1% vs. 25.3%), hinting at potential for improvement. Overall, the district presents a tale of two schools: a rising elementary school and a high school with strong graduation rates but low academic proficiency.
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