McCrory School District

The McCrory School District in Arkansas serves 581 students across two schools—McCrory Elementary School (Pre-K through 6th grade) and McCrory High School (7th through 12th grade)—and is ranked 128th out of 251 districts in the state, earning a 2-star rating.

McCrory Elementary School is the district's standout performer, particularly in mathematics, where 60.2% of students are proficient—well above the state average of 44.1%. This is a remarkable achievement given that 76.7% of its students are economically disadvantaged. The school has a history of strong performance, reaching the 71st percentile (4 stars) in the 2023-2024 school year. In contrast, McCrory High School shows a mixed picture: it boasts a 95% graduation rate and a very low 0.4% dropout rate, but its academic performance is inconsistent. The high school's state ranking has swung wildly from the 44th percentile to the 73rd and back to the 46th percentile over three years. Despite spending $2,525 more per student than the elementary school and having a low student-teacher ratio of 8.7:1, the high school struggles in core subjects like English Language Arts (31.2% proficient) and Science (40.5% proficient), both below state averages.

A critical finding is the "middle school cliff" at the transition from 6th to 7th grade. For example, 6th graders at the elementary school achieved 55.9% proficiency in English Language Arts, but 7th graders at the high school dropped to 32.5%. The high school also faces significant challenges in advanced subjects, with only 16.1% of students proficient in Algebra (vs. 36.9% statewide) and 22.2% in Geometry (vs. 26.4% statewide). This suggests a disconnect in curriculum alignment between the two schools and raises questions about why the high school's additional resources are not translating into stronger academic outcomes. For parents, the elementary school offers a clear strength in math, while the high school provides strong graduation support but inconsistent academic performance.