Maynard High School

Maynard High School is a small, rural public school in Maynard, Arkansas, serving 253 students in grades 7 through 12 as part of the Maynard School District.

This school has achieved a remarkable turnaround, rising from a 1-star rating to a 4-star rating and ranking 80th out of 293 high schools in the state. It now outperforms nearby Corning High School (ranked 158th) and Pocahontas High School (ranked 232nd) in key academic areas. Maynard excels in science, with 56.2% of students proficient in Biology compared to 40.4% at Corning and 31.2% at Pocahontas. It also leads in English Language Arts (42.1% proficient) and Reading (47% proficient), both above the state average. A standout feature is its exceptionally low student-to-teacher ratio of 3.4:1, which is nearly half that of Corning (6:1) and Pocahontas (5.9:1), creating a highly personalized learning environment. Despite serving a population where 98.81% of students are eligible for free or reduced lunch—a rate far higher than its neighbors—Maynard achieves superior academic results, indicating effective teaching and leadership. The school also spends less per student ($13,662) than Corning ($18,224) while delivering better outcomes, and it maintains a very low dropout rate of 0.8%.

The primary area for growth is mathematics, where overall proficiency (33.4%) lags behind the state average (44.1%). There is a notable gap between 8th-grade Algebra (64.3% proficient) and 9th-grade Algebra (12.9% proficient), suggesting that while some students are accelerated, many struggle with foundational high school math concepts. Overall, Maynard High School is a compelling example of a school overcoming significant challenges to provide a strong education, with its greatest strengths in science, literacy, and personalized support.