Summary:
The Newport School District in Arkansas serves 845 students across two schools: Newport Elementary School (grades PK-5) and Newport Junior High School (grades 6-7), with the district ranking in the 20th percentile statewide and earning a 1-star rating.
Newport Junior High School stands out as the higher-performing school, achieving a 2-star rating and a 34th percentile state ranking. It outperforms the district average in English Language Arts, Reading, and Science, and benefits from a notably low student-teacher ratio of 8.9:1, compared to the Elementary school's 15.1:1. In contrast, Newport Elementary School is the larger school with 691 students and shows a strong upward trajectory, with significant year-over-year proficiency gains in all subjects—most notably a 13.7 percentage point jump in Mathematics. However, the Elementary school has a higher free/reduced lunch rate (42.11%) and spends $14,731 per student, yet its performance still trails state averages, raising questions about spending efficiency.
A critical weakness for the district is Science, where the Elementary school's 26.7% proficiency is 17.3 points below the state average, and the Junior High's 32% is 12 points behind. At the Junior High, a "7th grade slump" is evident, with Mathematics proficiency dropping from 38.6% in 6th grade to 28.4% in 7th grade. Despite the district's low current ranking, the Elementary school's rapid improvement—especially in Math—suggests the district may be in a period of positive transition, with potential for a significant ranking boost if the trend continues.
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