Summary:
Zip code 72202 in Little Rock, Arkansas, is home to five high schools serving grades 9-12, including one large traditional public school and four smaller charter schools, creating a stark contrast in educational outcomes.
The dominant school in the area is Central High School, part of the Little Rock School District, which enrolls over 2,300 students and performs at or above state averages in English, reading, and biology. However, it struggles significantly in Algebra, with only 9.4% proficiency. In contrast, the four schools under the Premier High Schools Of Arkansas district—Premier High School Online, Premier High School Of Fort Smith, Premier High School Of Little Rock, and Premier High School Of Texarkana—are much smaller and rank in the bottom 20% statewide. Their average graduation rate is just 36.7%, with dropout rates as high as 55.4% at the online school, compared to Central High's 85.3% graduation rate and 3.2% dropout rate.
A critical finding is the spending paradox: Premier High School Of Little Rock spends the most per student ($19,142) yet has the worst outcomes, including 0% proficiency in English and reading in 2024-2025 and a 24.2% graduation rate. Meanwhile, Central High School spends less ($16,165 per student) and achieves far better results. An interesting exception is Premier High School Online, which is the only school in the zip code to exceed the state average in Algebra (42.1% vs. 36.9%), suggesting its online model may benefit math instruction for some students. Overall, families in 72202 face a clear choice between a stable, mid-performing traditional high school and alternative charter schools with severe academic and retention challenges.
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