Nemo Vista School District

The Nemo Vista School District is a small, rural district in Center Ridge, Arkansas, serving approximately 513 students across three schools: Nemo Vista Elementary School (PK-5), Nemo Vista Middle School (6-8), and Nemo Vista High School (9-12).

The district's standout is Nemo Vista Elementary School, a 5-star school ranking in the 96th percentile among Arkansas elementary schools. It dramatically outperforms both the district and state averages, with 79.2% of students proficient in Mathematics and 69.3% in English Language Arts, compared to state averages of 44.1% and 39.4%, respectively. In stark contrast, Nemo Vista High School is the district's lowest-performing school, with a 2-star rating and a declining state ranking. Its proficiency rates are critically low—only 11.2% in Algebra and 8.6% in Geometry, far below state averages. Nemo Vista Middle School sits in the middle, with an average 61st percentile ranking but volatile subject-level data, such as 6th graders achieving 55.3% proficiency in ELA while 7th graders drop to just 25%.

The most significant finding is the dramatic academic decline from elementary to high school, suggesting a critical transition problem where the strong elementary foundation is not sustained. The high school presents a paradox: despite low test scores, it boasts a 95% graduation rate and a very low student-teacher ratio of 2.8:1, indicating a focus on retention and support. The middle school's inconsistent performance, particularly in math, appears to be the weak link, creating a skills gap that the high school cannot bridge despite higher per-student spending of $14,862. Overall, the district shows a strong start that fades, with the elementary school as a clear bright spot and the high school as a key area for improvement.