Nevada Elementary School

Nevada Elementary School in Rosston, AR, is a small, rural school serving 226 students in grades K-6, where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, reflecting a community with high economic need.

This school stands out for its strong academic improvement trajectory, climbing from the 22nd percentile in state rankings three years ago to the 43rd percentile in the most recent data—a trend not seen in nearby schools like Wm. Jefferson Clinton Primary School or Prescott Elementary School, which have both declined over the same period. Nevada Elementary particularly excels in mathematics, with 42.8% of students proficient compared to 28.1% and 27.2% at those neighboring schools. The school also benefits from a lower student-teacher ratio of 12.8:1, allowing for more individualized attention, and spends less per student ($14,387) than Wm. Jefferson Clinton ($15,367) while achieving better results. This efficiency is notable for a school in the Nevada School District, which has a 1-star rating but is showing clear progress.

A key insight is the dramatic "5th grade slump": while 4th graders outperform state averages in every subject—like 65.7% proficiency in math versus the state's 47%—5th grade rates drop sharply, with math falling to just 18.2%. This suggests a systemic challenge in upper grades, but the school's rapid year-over-year gains (e.g., ELA proficiency jumping 14 points to 36.3%) show recent interventions are working. Addressing this slump could propel Nevada Elementary even higher, making it a model for high-poverty rural schools in Arkansas.