Summary:
Zip code 71941, serving the Donaldson, Arkansas area, is home to two public schools—Ouachita Elementary School (grades K-6) and Ouachita High School (grades 7-12)—both part of the top-rated Ouachita School District, which ranks in the 92nd percentile statewide and holds a 5-star rating.
Ouachita Elementary School is the academic powerhouse of the area, consistently ranking in the top 20% of Arkansas elementary schools over the past three years. Its 2025-2026 ATLAS scores significantly exceed state averages across all subjects, with 52.5% proficient in English Language Arts (state: 39.4%) and 56.7% in Mathematics (state: 44.1%). In contrast, Ouachita High School tells a compelling story of rapid improvement: after ranking in the 55th percentile in 2023-2024, it jumped to the 88th percentile the following year and maintained a strong 79th percentile in 2025-2026. The high school also boasts an exceptionally low student-teacher ratio of 5.2:1 (compared to the elementary school’s 17.2:1), which likely supports its turnaround and personalized instruction. Both schools serve a majority of students from lower-income households, with 57.86% at the elementary and 52.67% at the high school eligible for free/reduced lunch, making their high performance particularly noteworthy.
Key takeaways include a successful K-12 feeder system, where students enter high school well-prepared from the elementary school. However, the high school shows a "bimodal" performance pattern: 8th graders taking Algebra achieve 90% proficiency, but 9th-grade Algebra drops to 23%, and 9th-grade Biology at 92.3% falls to 45.4% in 10th grade. Geometry is a clear weakness, with only 24.3% proficient overall and a concerning 9.5% in 10th grade. The high school also maintains a 95% graduation rate and a 1.2% dropout rate, indicating strong student retention. Overall, the elementary school offers consistent excellence, while the high school demonstrates dynamic improvement, making this district a standout choice for families.
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