Summary:
Midland School District is home to a single high school, Midland High School, which serves 222 students in grades 7 through 12 in Pleasant Plains, Arkansas.
Midland High School is a school of notable contrasts and strong potential. It serves a student population where 100% are eligible for free or reduced lunch, indicating significant economic challenges, yet the school invests heavily with a per-student spending of $13,242 and an exceptionally low student-teacher ratio of 4.8:1. This combination suggests a strategic focus on providing intensive, individualized support. The school has shown a remarkable turnaround in its state ranking, jumping from the 33rd percentile in 2024-2025 to the 56th percentile (3 stars) in 2025-2026, a 23-percentile-point increase that signals positive momentum from recent changes. Its graduation rate is solid at 91.1%, slightly above the state average, and the dropout rate is very low at 0.4%.
Academically, the school presents a mixed picture with clear areas of strength and challenge. A standout finding is the "8th Grade Effect": in 2025-2026, 8th graders dramatically outperformed the state average in English Language Arts (51.8% vs. 37.2%), Reading (51.8% vs. 38.4%), Mathematics (52.2% vs. 36.2%), and Science (51.8% vs. 42.9%). However, this performance drops by 10th grade, where proficiency falls below state averages, suggesting a strong middle school curriculum but a challenge in maintaining momentum. Overall, the school outperforms the state in Reading (43.8% vs. 40.4%) but lags in Mathematics (40.4% vs. 44.1%) and Science (41.2% vs. 44.0%). A critical concern is advanced math: while Algebra proficiency improved to match the state average (36.9%), Geometry proficiency remains very low at 11.7% compared to the state's 26.4%, indicating a need for focused support in higher-level mathematics.
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