Academics Plus Public Charter Schools

The Academics Plus Public Charter Schools district in Arkansas serves approximately 1,993 students across four schools: Maumelle Charter Elementary (K-3), Maumelle Charter Middle School (4-7), Maumelle Charter High School (8-12), and Scott Charter School (K-12, Alternative). The district ranks 90th out of 251 districts in Arkansas, earning a 3-star rating, but this overall score masks a deep divide between its high-performing Maumelle schools and its struggling alternative school.

The three Maumelle schools form a powerful educational pipeline. Maumelle Charter Elementary is the standout star, consistently ranking in the 92nd percentile or higher for three years, including a 99th percentile ranking in 2023-2024, and earning a 5-star rating. Maumelle Charter Middle School is a rising star, rebounding to a 90th percentile ranking for 2025-2026 with a 4-star rating, and it excels in Algebra with a 66.7% proficiency rate—far above the state average of 36.9%. Maumelle Charter High School maintains a strong 94.3% graduation rate and performs well in English Language Arts (51.5% vs. 39.4% state), though its Algebra (25%) and Geometry (23.5%) proficiency lags behind state averages. In stark contrast, Scott Charter School serves a high-needs population (71% free/reduced lunch) and struggles significantly, with critically low proficiency rates in Math (11.1%) and Science (15.5%), a low graduation rate (76.9%), and a high dropout rate (4.0%).

Key takeaways include the "Maumelle Advantage," where the three Maumelle schools consistently outperform state averages, and the "Algebra Anomaly" at the middle school, indicating an accelerated math program. However, the district is a tale of two systems: the high-performing, lower-poverty Maumelle schools and the struggling, higher-poverty Scott Charter School. Notably, Scott Charter School spends the most per student ($15,063) and has the smallest class sizes (10:1), yet achieves the lowest results, while Maumelle Charter Elementary spends the least ($9,274) and achieves the highest, showing that spending alone does not drive performance.