Summary:
This analysis focuses on a single elementary school within the Arkansas Lighthouse Charter Schools district: Jacksonville Lighthouse Elementary, which serves grades Kindergarten through 4th grade in Jacksonville, AR, with a total enrollment of 210 students.
Jacksonville Lighthouse Elementary is a school facing significant academic challenges despite very high per-student spending. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 13th to 25th percentile statewide over the last three school years, earning a 1-star rating each year. Its per-student spending of $30,189 is exceptionally high—roughly double the national average—yet this investment has not translated into strong academic outcomes. The school serves a high-need population, with 84.29% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch. While the school outperforms its district in English Language Arts (31.9% vs. 25.6%) and Reading (27.3% vs. 27.2%), the district itself ranks in the bottom 22nd percentile statewide, making this a relative bright spot within a struggling network.
The most critical academic weakness is Mathematics, where only 15.2% of students are proficient compared to the state average of 44.1%—a staggering 28.9 percentage point gap. On a positive note, the school showed a remarkable one-year improvement in English Language Arts, jumping from 16.9% proficiency to 31.9% proficiency. However, this leap was not enough to significantly change its overall state ranking, as other schools across Arkansas also improved. For parents, this school represents a high-resource environment that is not yet delivering results, with a clear and urgent need for targeted math intervention and continued growth in literacy.
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