Summary:
The 72104 zip code in Malvern, Arkansas, is home to eight schools across three districts—Malvern School District, Glen Rose School District, and Magnet Cove School District—serving approximately 3,526 students from elementary through high school, with a notable theme of high economic disadvantage across the area.
The standout performer is Magnet Cove High School, which achieved a 4-star rating and leads in academic proficiency, with 61.2% in Math and 55.9% in Science, well above state averages. It also boasts the lowest free/reduced lunch rate (47.56%) and an exceptionally low dropout rate of 0.3%. Glen Rose High School showed dramatic improvement, jumping from the 41st to the 81st percentile in state rankings and earning a 4-star rating, excelling in Algebra (50.7% proficient). In contrast, Wilson Intermediate School and Malvern Middle School face significant challenges, with the highest poverty rates (78.31% and 76.89% free/reduced lunch) and critically low Math proficiency (25.7% and 23.2%, respectively). The Magnet Cove School District ranks highest in the area (78th percentile), followed by Glen Rose School District (59th percentile), while the Malvern School District ranks lower (33rd percentile). Notably, higher spending does not guarantee better outcomes—Malvern Middle School spends $15,859 per student but underperforms, while Magnet Cove High School spends $14,340 with far better results.
A key finding is the "Malvern School District" paradox: Malvern Elementary School excels in 3rd-grade Math (55.2% proficient), but performance plummets in its middle schools, suggesting a systemic transition issue. Additionally, across all high schools, 9th-grade Geometry students outperform state averages, while 10th-grade Geometry students lag, indicating advanced students are accelerated. Glen Rose High School shows inconsistent performance—strong test scores but the lowest graduation rate (86.9%) and highest dropout rate (2.3%) among high schools. Overall, the data highlights that economic disadvantage is a powerful headwind, with the three highest-poverty schools being the lowest-performing, underscoring the need for targeted support beyond general funding.
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