McGehee High School

McGehee High School in McGehee, AR, is a small, rural school serving 326 students in grades 9-12, where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, reflecting the community's high economic need.

McGehee High School stands out among its local peers for its strong graduation rate and improving academic performance. With a graduation rate of 91.8%—above the state average of 90.1%—the school consistently outperforms nearby Dumas High School (80.0% graduation rate) and Dermott High School (80.0% graduation rate). Academically, McGehee surpasses Dumas in every core subject, including English Language Arts (25.9% vs. 11.9%), Algebra (20.5% vs. 7.3%), and Biology (31.7% vs. 10.9%). While Dermott shows competitive reading scores (40%), McGehee excels in Biology and maintains a higher overall graduation rate. The school has also shown a positive trajectory, climbing from the 10th percentile in 2021-2022 to the 27th percentile in 2025-2026, with Algebra proficiency more than doubling from 7.8% to 20.5% in recent years.

Despite these strengths, McGehee faces significant challenges, particularly in math. Geometry proficiency is a critical weakness at just 10.1%, only slightly better than Dumas (8.2%) and Dermott (9.6%), and far below the state average of 26.4%. The school spends $15,765 per student—higher than the state average—yet academic outcomes remain below state norms, suggesting a need for more targeted investment. However, with a student-teacher ratio of 9.3:1, the school offers a more intimate learning environment that can support personalized instruction. The McGehee School District is ranked 193rd out of 251 districts in Arkansas, but the school's improving test scores and strong graduation culture indicate it is on a positive path, especially for a high-poverty community.