Summary:
The five public schools in zip code 72335, all part of the Forrest City School District, serve a community facing extreme economic challenges, with 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. The schools include Central Elementary School (PK-2), Stewart Elementary School (3-5), Lincoln Academy (Grade 6), Forrest City Junior High School (7-8), and Forrest City High School (9-12).
The standout school is Forrest City Junior High School, which shows a positive trend in state ranking and is the only school to outperform the district average, even surpassing the state average in Algebra proficiency for 8th graders (41.7% vs. 36.9% state). This creates a "two-tiered" math system, as the rest of the 8th grade struggles with standard math (15.4% proficient). In contrast, Lincoln Academy is a resource anomaly, spending the least per student ($7,149) despite serving a critical transition year, while Forrest City Junior High School spends the most ($16,207). A "9th Grade Bump" at Forrest City High School sees 9th graders dramatically outperforming 10th graders in Biology (68.2% vs. 15.5%) and Geometry (38.1% vs. 1%), suggesting a possible loss of proficient students after 9th grade.
Key metrics reveal stark disparities. Central Elementary School has a very high student-teacher ratio of 28.5:1, while Forrest City High School has a low ratio of 6.9:1. The district's graduation rate is 80.5%, nearly 10 points below the state average, and Algebra proficiency at the high school is a critical low point at 6.5%. The "Lost" 6th Grade Year at Lincoln Academy shows a performance drop from 5th grade at Stewart Elementary School, indicating the transition to a new school may be a point of struggle. Overall, the data shows that while funding varies widely, it alone cannot overcome the challenges of universal poverty without targeted interventions.
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