Summary:
The Lee County School District contains one high school, Lee High School, which serves grades 7 through 12 in Marianna, Arkansas, with a total enrollment of 281 students.
Lee High School presents a challenging picture for parents. The school has a 100% free/reduced lunch rate, indicating that every student comes from a low-income household. Despite a very low student-to-teacher ratio of 5.5:1 and high per-student spending of $18,265, academic performance is well below state averages. The school's state ranking has been in the bottom 15th percentile for three consecutive years, and overall proficiency rates for the 2025-2026 school year are low: 22.8% in English Language Arts, 26.0% in Reading, 24.4% in Mathematics, and 17.1% in Science, compared to state averages around 40-44%. The graduation rate of 86.5% is below the state average of 90.1%, and the dropout rate is 5.3%.
There are some positive signs. From the 2024-2025 to the 2025-2026 school year, proficiency rates in core subjects roughly doubled, suggesting recent interventions may be taking effect. However, severe weaknesses remain in advanced subjects, with only 2.6% of students proficient in Geometry and 9.4% in Algebra. The school's high spending and small class sizes have not yet translated into strong academic results, highlighting the profound challenge of overcoming the effects of widespread poverty. The graduation rate, while below average, is a relative bright spot, indicating the school is keeping most students enrolled through to completion.
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