Summary:
In zip code 72364 (Marion, AR), there are two elementary schools serving grades K-6 within the Marion School District, which ranks in the 12th percentile statewide, indicating significant academic challenges across the area.
Herbert Carter Global Community Magnet School stands out as the higher-performing school, ranking in the 28th percentile statewide and consistently outperforming its sister school across all subjects. For example, in English Language Arts, Herbert Carter achieves 32.6% proficiency compared to 24.4% at Marion Math Science & Technology Magnet School, which ranks in the 10th percentile. Notably, Herbert Carter shows strong year-over-year improvement, with science proficiency jumping 14.7 percentage points to 39.8%, nearly matching the state average of 44.0%. In contrast, Marion Math Science & Technology, despite its name, scores below the district average in math and science, suggesting its magnet focus may not be effectively implemented.
Economic disadvantage appears to be a key factor, as Marion Math Science & Technology has a much higher free/reduced lunch rate (81.8%) compared to Herbert Carter (64.33%), correlating with lower test scores. Both schools spend nearly identical amounts per student ($11,642 vs. $11,223) and have similar student-teacher ratios (19:1), indicating that funding is not the primary driver of the performance gap. For parents, Herbert Carter offers a clear advantage with stronger academics and positive momentum, while Marion Math Science & Technology faces deeper challenges that may require additional support or intervention.
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