Summary:
Zip code 71665, encompassing the Rison, Arkansas area, is home to two high schools—Rison High School and Woodlawn High School—that serve grades 7 through 12 and are part of the Cleveland County School District and Woodlawn School District, respectively.
Rison High School stands out as the stronger performer in this area, consistently outpacing Woodlawn High School in most academic metrics. Rison holds a 3-star rating and ranks in the 43rd percentile statewide, while Woodlawn has a 2-star rating and ranks in the 24th percentile. Rison excels particularly in Science (58.0% proficiency) and Math (51.7% proficiency), both of which exceed the state averages, and its Science proficiency is more than double Woodlawn’s 28.8%. However, both schools struggle with advanced subjects like Algebra and Biology, where their proficiency rates fall well below state benchmarks. Rison also invests more per student ($13,448 vs. $12,648) and has a slightly better student-teacher ratio (9.4:1 vs. 10.8:1), despite serving a higher percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch (63.38% vs. 52.11%).
A key takeaway is the contrasting trajectories of these schools. Both have seen declining state rankings over the past three years, but Woodlawn’s drop has been steeper, falling from the 62nd percentile to the 24th percentile. Woodlawn does report a strong graduation rate of 94.0% (above the state average of 90.1%) and a very low dropout rate of 0.3%, compared to Rison’s 0.9% dropout rate. For parents, Rison High School offers stronger academic outcomes, especially in math and science, while Woodlawn High School provides a more affordable student body profile and a higher graduation rate, though with weaker overall test scores.
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