Summary:
The two public schools in zip code 72442 (Manila, AR) serve students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade within the Manila School District, a 4-star district ranked 60th out of 251 in Arkansas.
Manila Elementary School (PK-6) stands out as a "Humanities & Science" school, consistently exceeding state averages in English Language Arts (48.1% vs. 39.4%), Reading (44.8% vs. 40.4%), and Science (51.9% vs. 44.0%). Its state ranking has shown strong improvement, jumping from the 51st percentile to the 60th percentile in recent years. In contrast, Manila High School (7-12) is a "STEM" powerhouse, with 59.2% of students proficient in Mathematics compared to the state average of 44.1%. The high school has undergone a dramatic turnaround, with its overall state ranking leaping from the 41st percentile to the 54th percentile in just one year, driven by massive gains in ELA, Reading, and Science scores.
A key finding is the "Math Flip" between the two schools: the elementary school lags in math (37.3% vs. 44.1% state) while excelling in humanities, whereas the high school dominates in math but performs closer to the state average in ELA and Reading. The high school also benefits from a lower student-teacher ratio (11.1:1) and slightly higher per-student spending ($11,993) compared to the elementary school (17:1, $11,488). Both schools serve a similar demographic, with just over half of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, yet they achieve above-state averages in multiple subjects, demonstrating effective educational practices within their community.
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