Summary:
In zip code 71973, there is one elementary school, Cossatot River Elementary School, serving grades 3 through 6 with 200 students in the Wickes area, which is part of the Cossatot River School District.
Cossatot River Elementary School stands out as a high-performing school despite serving a student population where 98.5% are economically disadvantaged. The school consistently outperforms both its district and the state average in English Language Arts, Reading, and Science. For the 2025-2026 school year, 47.2% of students were proficient in ELA (compared to 39.4% statewide), 48.7% in Reading (40.4% statewide), and 56.4% in Science (44.0% statewide). Science is a particular strength, with 3rd graders achieving a remarkable 70.3% proficiency rate. However, Mathematics is a relative weakness, with the school's 42.0% proficiency rate falling below the state average of 44.1%, especially in 5th and 6th grades where rates are significantly lower than state averages.
The school's state ranking has been volatile, dropping from the 85th percentile (4 stars) in 2024-2025 to the 65th percentile (3 stars) in 2025-2026, despite stable test scores. This suggests other schools in Arkansas are improving faster, not that Cossatot River is declining. The school is a standout within its district, which ranks in the bottom 30% of Arkansas (2 stars), meaning the school's excellent results are achieved despite district-level challenges. With a student-to-teacher ratio of 14.6:1 and per-student spending of $12,026, the school appears to have effective teaching and leadership that help students succeed despite high poverty rates.
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