Crossett Middle School

Crossett Middle School in Crossett, AR, serves 445 students in grades 5 through 8 and is part of the Crossett School District, which ranks in the bottom 26th percentile of Arkansas school districts. The school has a history of low performance, but recent data shows a promising turnaround, with significant year-over-year improvements in test scores from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, including jumps of over 11 points in English Language Arts and Reading. However, despite this progress, the school still performs well below the state average, with proficiency rates of 26.3% in Math and 29.1% in Science, compared to state averages around 44%.

Compared to nearby Hamburg Middle School, Crossett shows a mixed picture. While Crossett performs slightly better in English Language Arts and Reading (27.1% vs. 24.3% in ELA), it significantly lags in Math (26.3% vs. 34.2%) and Science (29.1% vs. 34.5%). The most critical issue is a dramatic performance drop for 7th graders at Crossett, where proficiency in Math plummets to just 15.6%—a staggering 26-point gap compared to Hamburg’s 7th-grade Math score of 41.7%. This "7th-grade wall" suggests a systemic problem with curriculum or instruction at that grade level that needs urgent attention.

Both schools serve communities with high economic need—about 64% of Crossett students qualify for free or reduced lunch—and have nearly identical per-pupil spending (around $11,500). This makes Crossett’s lower academic outcomes, especially in STEM subjects, a clear sign that funding alone isn't the issue; how resources are used matters more. On the positive side, Crossett’s recent improvement trajectory is much stronger than Hamburg’s, indicating that new strategies may be starting to work. For parents, this school offers a story of potential turnaround, but the 7th-grade performance and overall math and science gaps are key areas to watch closely.