Summary:
In zip code 72461, there is one high school, Rector High School, serving grades 7 through 12 in the rural community of Rector, Arkansas, with a total enrollment of 236 students.
Rector High School presents a mixed picture for parents. On one hand, the school boasts a very low student-teacher ratio of 8.8:1 and spends a high $15,102 per student, suggesting significant resources and potential for individual attention. This investment appears to support student persistence, as the school has a strong 92.6% graduation rate and a very low 0.7% dropout rate, both better than state averages. However, academic performance on state tests is a major concern. The school is ranked 201 out of 293 in Arkansas (31st percentile) and consistently scores below state averages in core subjects. For the 2025-2026 school year, only 20.8% of students were proficient in mathematics compared to 44.1% statewide, and just 26.1% were proficient in science versus 44.0% statewide. The most critical weakness is in advanced math, with only 2.8% of students proficient in Algebra and 5.2% in Geometry, pointing to a systemic issue in the math curriculum.
The one notable area of strength is 10th Grade Reading, where 46.1% of students were proficient, outperforming the state average of 39.0%. This is a stark contrast to lower grade reading scores and suggests a specific program or cohort is driving this success. The school serves a predominantly low-income community, with 68.22% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, a factor that often correlates with lower test scores. Ultimately, Rector High School is a small, well-funded school that excels at keeping students in school and graduating them, but it faces significant challenges in raising academic achievement, particularly in mathematics. The Rector School District is ranked 198th out of 251 districts in Arkansas.
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