Hermitage Elementary School

Hermitage Elementary School is a small, rural PK-6 school in Hermitage, AR, serving 217 students where every single student qualifies for free or reduced lunch, a consistent reality that highlights the deep socioeconomic challenges the community faces.

Despite spending significantly more per student than nearby schools—$17,531 per student in 2023-2024, which is 34% more than Hampton Elementary School and 42% more than Warren Elementary School—academic performance remains low and stable. This high spending likely goes toward wraparound services, smaller class sizes (a favorable 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio), and support programs to address poverty's impact rather than directly boosting test scores. The school's ranking has declined from the 45th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 16th percentile in 2025-2026, a concerning two-year drop. However, there is a bright spot: 6th-grade math proficiency (43.4%) nearly matches the state average (45.1%), suggesting a potential strength in upper elementary math instruction. In contrast, 3rd grade is a major challenge, with proficiency rates as low as 7.4% in ELA and 11.1% in math, indicating a critical need for early intervention.

An interesting comparison is with Thomas C. Brunson Elementary School in the Warren School District, which also serves 100% free/reduced lunch students but significantly outperforms Hermitage—for example, 51.8% proficiency in 5th-grade math versus Hermitage's 14.3%. This shows that poverty, while a major factor, does not have to determine outcomes, and it highlights potential differences in instructional strategies or leadership. Overall, Hermitage Elementary is a school investing heavily to support its students, but it faces an uphill battle in translating that investment into academic gains.