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Acorn High School

Public Grades 7-12
60th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 293 Arkansas High Schools
Better than 80% of Arkansas high schools
Summary

Acorn High School in Mena, AR, is a small, rural school serving 281 students in grades 7 through 12 as part of the Ouachita River School District, and it has recently surged into the top 20% of Arkansas high schools with a remarkable 66-spot ranking jump.

Acorn stands out for its exceptional science performance, with 53.2% of students proficient in science overall—well above the state average of 44%—and a standout 53.9% proficiency in Biology that far exceeds nearby Waldron High School (41.4%). The school also boasts a very low student-to-teacher ratio of 5.3:1, offering a more personalized learning environment than Mena High School (6.6:1) or Waldron (8.8:1), all while operating cost-effectively at $12,130 per student—significantly less than Mena ($13,615) and Waldron ($16,860). Despite over 64% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, Acorn outperforms Mena in key areas like English Language Arts and science, showing the school effectively supports its students.

However, the school faces challenges: math proficiency lags at 43.4%, below the state average, with Geometry a particular weak spot at 22.4% proficiency compared to Mena’s 39.6%. Additionally, a sharp drop in performance between 7th and 8th grade—where 7th graders achieve 63% proficiency in English Language Arts but 8th graders fall to 30.4%—suggests a critical transition point that may need attention. Overall, Acorn’s recent turnaround and strong science focus make it a compelling choice for families seeking a supportive, high-performing rural school.

281
Students ?
5.3
Student/teacher ratio ?
$12,130
Per pupil spending ?
64.8%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 143 Polk Road 96
       Mena, AR  71953

(479) 394-5544

District: Ouachita River School District


Feeder schools for Acorn High School:

Elementary:    Acorn Elementary School
Racial breakdown:

White:
91.5%
Hispanic:
3.9%
American Indian:
2.8%
more
 See top rated Arkansas high schools

 Compare Acorn High School to nearby high schools!
At a glance
▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 82nd percentile in 2016 → 80th in 2026
Strengths
✓Ranks in the top 20% of Arkansas high schools
✓94% graduate in 4 years — above the Arkansas average (90%)
✓Small classes — about 5 students per teacher
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school45%
District avg44%
Arkansas avg41%
Middle school
87th of 327
Arkansas public middle schools ?
Top 27%▲ up 15 pts since 2016
From top 42% (2016) to top 27% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Arkansas Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
High school
60th of 293
Arkansas public high schools ?
Top 20%▼ down 3 pts since 2016
See the entire ranking list of Arkansas High Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
61st of 251Ouachita River School District among Arkansas districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankArkansas percentileRating
202669.287 of 32773.4%★★★★☆
202563.197 of 32470.1%★★★★☆
202464.787 of 33574.0%★★★★☆
202353.9162 of 33050.9%★★★☆☆
202260.0130 of 31859.1%★★★☆☆
202163.1117 of 33064.5%★★★☆☆
201962.4117 of 31963.3%★★★☆☆
201849.9167 of 31847.5%★★☆☆☆
201750.0164 of 31547.9%★★☆☆☆
201657.4131 of 31258.0%★★★☆☆
201549.4127 of 27553.8%★★★☆☆
201469.382 of 28070.7%★★★★☆
201366.791 of 27867.3%★★★☆☆
201261.6113 of 26557.4%★★★☆☆
201153.4142 of 26446.2%★★☆☆☆
201066.677 of 25469.7%★★★★☆
200983.718 of 24092.5%★★★★★
200868.165 of 22370.9%★★★★☆
200778.826 of 22588.4%★★★★☆
High school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankArkansas percentileRating
202669.060 of 29379.5%★★★★☆
202552.0126 of 29156.7%★★★☆☆
202457.8112 of 30563.3%★★★☆☆
202365.287 of 29570.5%★★★★☆
202261.487 of 28269.1%★★★☆☆
202156.2104 of 29064.1%★★★☆☆
201958.5106 of 28262.4%★★★☆☆
201865.369 of 26373.8%★★★★☆
201750.2137 of 26448.1%★★☆☆☆
201675.348 of 26982.2%★★★★☆
201579.117 of 26793.6%★★★★★
201446.8149 of 26844.4%★★☆☆☆
201356.5102 of 27162.4%★★★☆☆
201255.7111 of 26658.3%★★★☆☆
201155.3111 of 26658.3%★★★☆☆
201055.995 of 26263.7%★★★☆☆
200958.881 of 26169.0%★★★☆☆
200866.942 of 25683.6%★★★★☆
200785.06 of 25897.7%★★★★★
By subject vs Arkansas (2025-2026) ?
Biology54%+11 vs state
Science53%+9 vs state
Reading46%+6 vs state
English Language Arts46%+6 vs state
Mathematics43%~ state avg
Algebra40%+3 vs state
Geometry22%-4 vs state

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Frequently Asked Questions about Acorn High School

Acorn High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Acorn Elementary School

Acorn High School ranks 60th of 293 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2024-25 school year, 281 students attended Acorn High School.

Students at Acorn High School are 91% White, 4% Hispanic, 3% American Indian, 1% Two or more races.

Rate Acorn High School!



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ARArkansas High School Rankings

ARArkansas District Rankings

Schools in Mena, AR

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Latest Arkansas data All new data »
2025–26 ATLAS test scoresJul 13, 2026
2024–25 graduation ratesMar 5, 2026
2019–20 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 6, 2026
2017–18 through 2024–25 dropout ratesJan 6, 2026


SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.

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