Best Public Schools in Zip Code 72131

The three public schools in zip code 72131 (Quitman, Arkansas) serve approximately 950 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, all part of the Quitman School District, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the 74th percentile statewide.

Quitman Elementary School is the district's standout, earning a 4-star rating and outperforming state averages in every subject—English (56.6% vs. 39.4%), Reading (56.1% vs. 40.4%), Math (45.6% vs. 44.1%), and Science (60.2% vs. 44.0%). In contrast, Quitman Middle School shows a troubling decline, dropping from the 79th to the 56th percentile in state ranking over three years, with 7th-grade Reading proficiency at just 18.3%—less than half the state average. Quitman High School presents a mixed picture: it boasts a strong 93.9% graduation rate and low 0.6% dropout rate, but its state ranking fell sharply from the 87th to the 64th percentile, and it now scores below state averages in English, Reading, and Algebra.

Resource allocation varies widely across the district. The high school spends the most per student ($16,566) with the best student-teacher ratio (7.9:1), yet its academic results lag behind the elementary school, which spends less ($12,252) and has larger classes (15.5:1). The middle school spends the least per student ($5,918) and has the highest economic need (54.76% free/reduced lunch). This suggests the elementary school is exceptionally effective with its resources, while the high school's spending is not translating into academic gains. The district's challenge is to replicate the elementary school's success and address the middle school's decline to ensure students maintain momentum through graduation.