Summary:
Mansfield High School is the sole high school in the Mansfield School District, serving 214 students in grades 9 through 12 in a rural Arkansas community.
Mansfield High School presents a fascinating mix of strengths and challenges. The school’s standout feature is its exceptionally low student-teacher ratio of 4.5:1, which supports a highly personalized learning environment. This investment is reflected in a strong graduation rate of 93.7%, well above the state average of 90.1%, and a very low dropout rate of 0.4%. However, overall academic proficiency on state tests lags behind state averages, with only 31.9% proficient in English Language Arts, 33.0% in Math, and 32.5% in Science, compared to state rates of 39.4%, 44.1%, and 44.0% respectively. The school’s state ranking has been volatile, moving from the 53rd percentile to the 62nd, then dropping to the 48th percentile over three years, suggesting inconsistency in test performance despite strong student retention.
Two subjects tell very different stories. Biology is a clear strength, with 44.6% of students proficient—outpacing the state average of 42.7%—and 10th graders achieving 47.1% proficiency versus 35.1% statewide. In contrast, Algebra is a critical weakness, with only 20.6% of students proficient, far below the state’s 36.9%, and 9th-grade Algebra proficiency at just 9.1%. Interestingly, Geometry is a bright spot in math, with 26.6% proficient, slightly above the state average of 26.4%. With 66.36% of students economically disadvantaged and per-student spending at $15,131, the school invests heavily in small classes but has not yet translated that into broad academic gains, making it a school that excels at keeping students on track for graduation while working to improve test scores.
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