Mulberry High School

Mulberry High School is a small, rural high school in Mulberry, Arkansas, serving 130 students in grades 9 through 12, and is part of the Mulberry Pleasant View Bi County School District.

This school faces significant challenges, with 100% of its students eligible for free or reduced lunch, a rate far higher than nearby schools like Van Buren High School (57.87%) or Alma High School (41.9%). Academic performance is critically low, with proficiency rates in core subjects like Algebra (7.9%) and Geometry (2.6%) well below state averages. While the school spends a high amount per student ($17,088) and maintains a very low student-to-teacher ratio (5.7:1), these resources have not translated into strong test scores. Interestingly, the school's graduation rate (86.1%) is close to the state average, suggesting it successfully keeps students on track to graduate, even if they are not meeting academic benchmarks. A notable comparison is Cedarville High School, which has a similarly high poverty rate (98.8%) but achieves much higher proficiency rates, showing that strong outcomes are possible even in challenging circumstances.

There are some positive signs. In the 2023-2024 school year, Mulberry's test scores were much closer to state averages, with Biology proficiency even exceeding the state. This suggests the school has the capacity to perform better, and the recent drop in scores is a trend worth watching. Additionally, Biology proficiency (28.5%) is significantly higher than math scores, indicating a potential area of relative strength in the science curriculum. For parents, this school offers small class sizes and a focus on keeping students in school, but the low academic performance and high poverty rate are important factors to consider.