Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 71602

This analysis examines four elementary schools in zip code 71602 of Arkansas, serving grades K-5 across two distinct school districts: the White Hall School District (which includes Moody Elementary School, Taylor Elementary School, and Gandy Elementary School) and the Pine Bluff School District (which houses Matthews Elementary School).

Gandy Elementary School stands out as the top performer, achieving the highest state ranking (63rd percentile) and leading in Mathematics (49.7% proficient) and Reading (48.5% proficient). Moody Elementary School shows the most improvement, rebounding from the 42nd to the 62nd percentile in one year, and excels in Science (53.2% proficient). Taylor Elementary School presents a mixed profile, with strong English Language Arts scores (46.1%) but a significant weakness in Mathematics (25.8% proficient). Matthews Elementary School faces severe challenges, consistently ranking in the bottom 8% of Arkansas schools with proficiency rates below 20% in all subjects and a 100% free/reduced lunch rate.

The most striking finding is the stark contrast between the White Hall schools and Matthews Elementary, highlighting how district boundaries create vastly different educational realities within the same zip code. While the White Hall schools generally score near or above state averages, Matthews scores are dramatically lower—for example, a 45-percentage-point gap in 5th-grade Mathematics between Gandy (57.4%) and Matthews (12.3%). Interestingly, spending does not guarantee success: Matthews spends the most per student ($15,830) yet achieves the lowest results, while Moody spends the least ($9,972) and achieves the second-best outcomes. This suggests that socioeconomic context and resource allocation are more powerful predictors of academic success than raw funding levels.