Best Public Schools in Zip Code 72440

The 72440 zip code is home to a single standout public elementary school, Hillcrest Elementary School, which serves grades K-6 and has an enrollment of 223 students. Despite the school's high percentage of students from low-income families, Hillcrest Elementary consistently outperforms both the Hillcrest School District and the state of Arkansas in academic proficiency across all subject areas and grade levels.

Hillcrest Elementary School has earned a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for the 2022-2023 school year and a 3-star rating for the 2023-2024 school year, indicating its strong academic performance. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school's proficiency rates range from 21.4% to 76% across different subject areas and grade levels, with the highest proficiency rates in Mathematics (76% for 6th grade) and Science (72% for 6th grade). The school's performance has remained relatively stable over the past two school years, demonstrating a consistent and effective educational program.

While Hillcrest Elementary School faces significant socioeconomic challenges, with 98.65% of its students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, the school's relatively high spending per student ($12,263 for the 2018-2019 school year) and low student-teacher ratio (12.8 for the 2023-2024 school year) suggest that resources are being effectively allocated to support the educational needs of the students. This, combined with the school's exceptional academic performance, makes Hillcrest Elementary a standout institution in the 72440 zip code.