Summary:
This analysis examines three high schools in the 72104 zip code of Malvern, Arkansas: Malvern High School, Glen Rose High School, and Magnet Cove High School, which serve grades 9-12 across three separate districts.
Magnet Cove High School stands out as the academic leader in the area, achieving the highest proficiency rates in English Language Arts (49.3%), Mathematics (61.2%), and Science (55.9%) for the 2025-2026 school year, all well above state averages. It also boasts the lowest dropout rate (0.3%) and the highest graduation rate (92.3%). Glen Rose High School is the most improved, jumping from the 48th to the 81st percentile in state rankings, driven by exceptional Algebra scores (50.7% proficiency, far exceeding the state average of 36.9%). Malvern High School, the largest school with 559 students, serves a student body with the highest economic need (73.52% free/reduced lunch) but still maintains a strong graduation rate of 92.2% and is the only school in the area to exceed the state average in Geometry.
Key metrics reveal a clear advantage for smaller schools: Magnet Cove and Glen Rose have lower student-teacher ratios (5.7:1 and 6.1:1, respectively) compared to Malvern (8.6:1). While Magnet Cove School District spends the most per student ($14,340) and gets the best results, Glen Rose School District spends the least ($13,642) yet achieved the most dramatic ranking improvement. A critical finding at Malvern High School is the "9th grade bump," where 9th graders dramatically outperform 10th graders in every subject, suggesting a need to investigate how to sustain academic momentum into the upper grades. Overall, Malvern School District faces the greatest challenge due to higher poverty levels, while the smaller districts demonstrate strong academic outcomes.
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