Summary:
The two schools in zip code 72016, located in Bigelow, Arkansas, serve students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade within the highly-rated East End School District, which ranks in the 84th percentile statewide.
Anne Watson Elementary School (grades PK-6, 357 students) has shown a remarkable academic turnaround, jumping from the 46th to the 75th percentile in just one year. It now significantly outperforms state averages in English Language Arts (56% proficient vs. 39.4%) and Mathematics (65% proficient vs. state average). In contrast, Bigelow High School (grades 7-12, 317 students) presents a mixed picture. It excels in advanced coursework, with 92.8% proficiency in 8th-grade Algebra and 57.4% in Biology, but struggles in Geometry (21.1% proficient) and 7th-grade Science (26.9% proficient). The high school benefits from an exceptionally low student-teacher ratio of 7.4:1, which likely contributes to its very low dropout rate of 0.9%.
Both schools serve a significant population of students from low-income families, with free/reduced lunch rates of 72.27% at the elementary school and 67.19% at the high school. The district invests more per student at the high school level ($13,226 vs. $11,368). A key takeaway is that the elementary school currently outperforms the high school in core subjects like math and science, suggesting a strong foundational program that the high school may not be building upon as effectively. Overall, the district provides a solid K-12 pathway, with the elementary school showing exceptional recent growth and the high school offering strong personalized support and standout results in specific advanced subjects.
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