Summary:
Zip code 72469 in Strawberry, Arkansas, is served by two public schools—Hillcrest Elementary School and Hillcrest High School—both part of the Hillcrest School District, which serves grades K-12 and has a combined enrollment of 442 students in a rural, high-poverty area.
Hillcrest Elementary School is the standout in this area, earning a 4-star rating for the 2025-2026 school year and ranking in the 72nd percentile among Arkansas elementary schools. It consistently exceeds state averages, particularly in Science, where 65.5% of students are proficient compared to the state average of 44%. The school also shows strong growth in English Language Arts, improving from 44.9% to 47.7% proficiency. In contrast, Hillcrest High School has a 2-star rating and struggles in English Language Arts (34.9% proficiency) and Reading (37.7%), but it excels in Mathematics, with a 64.1% proficiency rate that far exceeds the state average of 44.1%. This math strength is driven by exceptional performance in 7th and 8th-grade math, though the school faces challenges in advanced courses like Algebra and Geometry.
Both schools serve a high-poverty population, with free/reduced lunch rates above 78%, yet they achieve notable STEM results. The high school spends $17,001 per student and has an unusually low student-to-teacher ratio of 3.6:1, suggesting a personalized learning environment, though this investment hasn't yet translated into top overall rankings. Science is a district-wide strength, with both schools outperforming the state by over 17 percentage points. Hillcrest Elementary School is on an upward trajectory, improving its star rating from 3 to 4, making it the academic anchor of the district. For parents, this area offers a strong elementary foundation and a high school that excels in general math and science, despite challenges in advanced coursework and overall ratings.
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