Summary:
The Dewitt School District in Arkansas is a small, unified district serving approximately 1,153 students across three schools: Dewitt Elementary School (PK-5), Dewitt Middle School (6-8), and Dewitt High School (9-12).
Dewitt Middle School is the district's clear standout, earning a 3-star rating and achieving the highest academic proficiency. Remarkably, it does this with the lowest per-student spending ($10,983) and a moderate student-teacher ratio. Its math performance is exceptional, with 51.1% of all students proficient compared to the state average of 44.1%, and 8th graders hitting an impressive 62.5% proficiency. In contrast, Dewitt High School presents a spending paradox: it has the highest per-pupil spending ($15,741) and smallest class sizes (6.3:1), yet its overall academic proficiency is the lowest in the district. However, the high school boasts a strong 93.1% graduation rate and a standout performance in Biology, where 51% of students are proficient versus the state's 42.7%. Dewitt Elementary School is the district's weakest link, consistently scoring below state averages in every subject and grade level, and it is the only school that has not earned a 3-star rating in the last three years.
Key trends show the high school's state ranking has dropped sharply from the 65th percentile to the 39th percentile in one year, while the middle school has risen from the 54th to the 66th percentile over the same period. The elementary school has remained stuck in the low 2-star range. The district serves a moderately high-poverty population, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 52.2% at the high school to 62% at the elementary school. Overall, the district is ranked 135th out of 251 in Arkansas (46th percentile, 2 stars), with the middle school's strong performance suggesting effective teaching strategies that could be a model for improvement elsewhere.
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