Best Public Schools in Zip Code 72027

The three public schools in zip code 72027, serving the small rural community of Center Ridge, Arkansas, are all part of the Nemo Vista School District, which enrolls 513 students across elementary, middle, and high school grades.

The standout school in the area is Nemo Vista Elementary School, which ranks in the top 5% of all Arkansas elementary schools (22nd out of 491) and holds a 5-star rating. Its academic performance is exceptional, with 79.2% of students proficient in Mathematics and 69.3% in English Language Arts—both far exceeding state averages. In stark contrast, Nemo Vista High School faces significant challenges, ranking in the bottom third of Arkansas high schools (205th out of 293) with a 2-star rating. Only 26.7% of high school students are proficient in English Language Arts, and Geometry proficiency is critically low at 8.6%. The Nemo Vista Middle School sits in the middle, with an average state ranking (61st percentile) and mixed test scores, though it shows a strength in Algebra with 41.7% of 8th graders proficient.

A key takeaway is the dramatic drop in performance from elementary to high school, suggesting a systemic issue in building on the strong elementary foundation. Despite high per-student spending ($12,544 to $14,862) and very low student-teacher ratios (as low as 2.8:1 at the high school), the high school's outcomes are poor, pointing to potential curriculum or instruction challenges. However, the high school does have a bright spot in Biology, where 51.2% of students are proficient, outperforming the state average. The high school also maintains a strong 95% graduation rate and a very low 0.7% dropout rate, indicating students who enroll tend to stay and graduate.