Summary:
The Forrest City School District is home to two middle schools—Forrest City Junior High School (grades 7-8) and Lincoln Academy (grade 6 only)—serving a total of 402 students in a high-poverty area where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and the district ranks in the bottom 6% of Arkansas schools.
The standout finding is Forrest City Junior High School's exceptional performance in Algebra, where 41.7% of 8th graders were proficient in the 2025-2026 school year—surpassing the state average of 36.9% and far exceeding the district average of 13.8%. This is a remarkable bright spot for a school that otherwise struggles, with proficiency rates in English (20.9%), Math (24.3%), and Science (25.5%) all well below state averages. In contrast, Lincoln Academy achieves comparable or better results in core subjects despite spending only $7,149 per student—less than half of Forrest City Junior High's $16,207 per student. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, Lincoln Academy outperformed Forrest City Junior High in Math proficiency (23.5% vs. 11.7%), highlighting a significant spending paradox.
Year-over-year data shows notable volatility, particularly at Forrest City Junior High School, where Math proficiency swung from 11.7% to 24.3% and Science from 14.3% to 25.5% between recent school years. This suggests that small cohort sizes can dramatically shift scores, making long-term trends difficult to assess. Both schools face systemic challenges tied to high poverty, but the Algebra success at Forrest City Junior High offers a potential blueprint for improvement. For parents, Lincoln Academy stands out for its cost-efficiency and solid 6th-grade performance, while Forrest City Junior High provides a targeted strength in advanced math that could benefit students aiming for higher-level coursework.
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