Best High Schools in Zip Code 71701

Zip code 71701 in Camden, Arkansas, is home to two high schools—Camden Fairview High School and Harmony Grove High School—that serve grades 9 through 12 but offer vastly different educational experiences.

Harmony Grove High School is the clear standout in this area. It earns a 3-star rating and ranks in the 69th percentile statewide (78th out of 251 districts), while Camden Fairview High School receives a 0-star rating and sits near the bottom at 238th out of 251. Harmony Grove’s academic proficiency rates are close to or above the state average—37.3% in ELA, 34.5% in Algebra, and 41.8% in Biology—whereas Camden Fairview lags far behind with just 14.4% in ELA, 1% in Algebra, and 11% in Biology. This performance gap is especially striking because Camden Fairview actually spends more per student ($14,831 vs. $12,029) and has a larger student-teacher ratio (9.2:1 vs. 4.8:1). Harmony Grove’s exceptionally low ratio allows for more individualized attention, which likely contributes to its success and a dropout rate of just 0.7%, compared to Camden Fairview’s 3.2%.

Both schools have graduation rates near the state average of 90.1% (Camden Fairview at 87.9%, Harmony Grove at 85.7%), but the proficiency data reveals a deeper issue: at Camden Fairview, students are far more likely to graduate than to be proficient in core subjects like Algebra or Biology, suggesting that graduation requirements may not fully reflect college or career readiness. For parents, the choice is clear: Harmony Grove High School in the HARMONY GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Ouachita) offers a much stronger academic environment, while Camden Fairview High School in the Camden Fairview School District faces significant challenges that impact student learning outcomes.