Summary:
The Decatur School District is home to a single high school, Decatur High School, which serves grades 9 through 12 with a small enrollment of 173 students in a rural Arkansas community.
Decatur High School is on a strong upward trajectory, having improved its state ranking from the 19th percentile (1 star) in 2023-2024 to the 50th percentile (3 stars) in 2025-2026. This rapid progress is driven by standout performance in specific areas. The school's 10th graders are outperforming the state average in English Language Arts, Reading, Geometry, and Biology, while the school as a whole exceeds the state average in Geometry (29% vs. 26.4%) and nearly matches it in Biology (41% vs. 42.7%). A key strength is an exceptionally low student-teacher ratio of 6.1:1, which allows for highly personalized instruction. However, the school faces significant challenges. The graduation rate of 69.2% is well below the state average of 90.1%, and 100% of students are economically disadvantaged, indicating that poverty presents deep obstacles despite a high per-pupil spending of $15,644.
Interesting contrasts emerge within the school. While 10th graders excel, 9th graders lag significantly behind, particularly in English Language Arts (21.2% vs. 38% state) and Reading (27.3% vs. 40.6% state), suggesting a need for stronger freshman transition support. Additionally, math performance is uneven: Geometry is a strength, but Algebra proficiency (20.6%) is drastically lower than the state average (36.9%), pointing to a potential weakness in foundational concepts. Overall, Decatur High School shows promising academic improvement, but its low graduation rate and the challenges of serving a high-poverty population remain critical areas for continued focus.
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