Summary:
In zip code 71654, there is one high school, McGehee High School, serving grades 9 through 12 in the rural community of McGehee, Arkansas, as part of the McGehee School District.
McGehee High School has a total enrollment of 326 students and faces significant challenges, with 100% of its students eligible for free or reduced lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage. Despite this, the school offers a very low student-teacher ratio of 9.3 to 1 and spends $15,765 per student, which are typically positive indicators. However, academic proficiency is well below state averages, with only 25.9% of students proficient in English Language Arts and 20.5% in Algebra, compared to state rates of 39.4% and 36.9%, respectively. Geometry is a particular weak point, with just 10.1% proficiency versus the state's 26.4%. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 27th percentile of Arkansas high schools, earning a 1-star rating.
On a positive note, the school shows a bright spot with a graduation rate of 91.8%, slightly above the state average of 90.1%, and a low dropout rate of 1.5%. Additionally, test scores have improved year-over-year in every subject from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, suggesting that recent interventions may be taking effect. For example, Reading proficiency rose from 21.1% to 31.9%, and Biology from 26% to 31.7%. While academic performance remains low, the combination of high per-student spending, small class sizes, and a strong graduation rate indicates a school that is investing heavily in its students and keeping them on track to earn a diploma, even as it works to raise academic achievement.
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