Summary:
The eight public schools in zip code 72120 (Sherwood, AR) serve approximately 4,852 students and are all part of the Pulaski County Special School District, which holds a 2-star rating and ranks 158th out of 251 districts in Arkansas.
Academic performance varies widely across the area, with elementary schools generally outperforming secondary schools. Sherwood Elementary School is the clear top performer, earning a 3-star rating and exceeding district and state averages in all subjects, particularly with its 5th-grade cohort achieving over 68% proficiency in ELA and Math. Cato Elementary School showed the most improvement, jumping from a 2-star to a 3-star rating. In contrast, William Jefferson Clinton Elementary School is the lowest-performing school in the zip code, consistently ranking in the bottom 20% of Arkansas elementary schools. At the secondary level, Sylvan Hills Junior High School stands out for its exceptional Biology performance, with 61.4% of 9th graders proficient, far exceeding state averages. However, math proficiency is a critical weakness across secondary schools, with only 11.7% of high school students proficient in Geometry compared to the state average of 26.4%.
Key metrics reveal interesting patterns. The average free/reduced lunch rate across the zip code is 55.8%, with Clinton Elementary having the highest rate at 72.87% and Sherwood Elementary the lowest at 46.7%. Spending per student ranges from $13,101 to $14,736, but shows no clear link to performance. Notably, the top-performing elementary schools have higher student-teacher ratios (up to 19:1), while the lowest-performing school has a lower ratio of 15:1, suggesting factors like school leadership and curriculum are more impactful. Sylvan Hills High School maintains a solid graduation rate of 90.9%, slightly above the state average.
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