Gurdon School District

The Gurdon School District in Arkansas is a small, rural district serving 617 students across two schools: Cabe Elementary (Pre-K through 6th grade) and Gurdon High School (7th through 12th grade), with over 76% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

Gurdon High School stands out for its volatility and mixed academic profile. Its state ranking dropped dramatically from the 40th percentile to the 14th percentile in a single year. While it shows notable strengths—such as 8th-grade Algebra proficiency (75%) exceeding the state average and Science scores (42.1%) nearly matching the state—it also has extreme weaknesses, including 0% proficiency in 10th-grade Geometry and just 12% proficiency in 10th-grade English Language Arts. The high school spends significantly more per student ($16,666) and has a much lower student-to-teacher ratio (9.7:1) than the elementary school, yet this resource advantage has not translated into consistent success. In contrast, Cabe Elementary is more stable but consistently low-performing, ranking between the 20th and 32nd percentile over three years. Its brightest spot is 6th-grade Reading, where 42.5% of students are proficient—slightly above the state average—making it the only grade-level score in the district to surpass the state.

Key metrics reveal a district facing significant challenges. The district ranks in the 18th percentile statewide, with a graduation rate of 84.3% (below the state average of 90.1%) but a very low dropout rate of 0.4%. A critical finding is the "Algebra vs. Geometry" paradox: 8th graders excel in Algebra, but 10th graders fail in Geometry, suggesting a breakdown in math progression. Additionally, Science is a relative strength across both schools, pointing to a possible effective curriculum or dedicated teachers. The "5th Grade Slump" at Cabe Elementary shows a consistent drop in proficiency across all subjects, indicating a need for targeted intervention. Overall, the district is moving in opposite directions—the elementary school is stable but slowly declining relative to the state, while the high school's sharp decline is the most urgent area for improvement.