Summary:
In zip code 72390 (West Helena, AR), there is one elementary school, KIPP Delta Elementary Literacy Academy, serving grades PK through 5 with 463 students in the KIPP Delta Public Schools charter district.
As the only elementary school in the area, KIPP Delta Elementary Literacy Academy serves a student body where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, a key indicator of high poverty. The school spends $15,036 per student, which is notably high, yet its state ranking places it in the bottom 15% of Arkansas elementary schools (415 out of 491, 1 star). The student-teacher ratio is 15.6:1. Overall proficiency rates for the 2025-2026 school year are below state averages: English Language Arts at 25.2% (state: 39.4%), Reading at 26.0% (state: 40.4%), Mathematics at 24.0% (state: 44.1%), and Science at 28.6% (state: 44.0%).
Despite low overall performance, there are positive signs. The school showed significant year-over-year improvement from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, with gains in all subjects, including a 10.8 percentage point increase in Science. A notable "5th grade bump" exists: 5th graders achieved 41.5% proficiency in Math (close to the state average of 45%) and 37.8% in Science, far outperforming other grades. This suggests a potential strength in upper elementary instruction. However, the high spending relative to low outcomes raises questions about resource allocation, though the high poverty rate likely necessitates substantial investment in support services. The school's performance compared to its district is mixed, with some grades outperforming the district average while others lag behind.
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