Summary:
In zip code 72626, there is one elementary school, Amanda Gist Elementary School, which serves students from Pre-Kindergarten through 6th grade and is part of the highly-rated Cotter School District, ranked 19th out of 251 districts in Arkansas.
Amanda Gist Elementary School stands out for its strong academic performance despite serving a community with high economic need, as 100% of its 374 students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school consistently earns a 4 out of 5 star rating from the state and outperforms the Arkansas state average in every subject. Its strongest areas are Science, with 59.1% of students proficient (15.1 points above the state average), and Mathematics, with 54.5% proficient (10.4 points above the state average). The school also maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.2:1, which supports individualized attention.
A particularly interesting finding is the school's consistent improvement in Mathematics scores from 3rd grade (45.7% proficient) to 6th grade (63.3% proficient), indicating effective cumulative instruction. While 3rd grade Reading scores (39.1%) fall slightly below the state average (43.1%), the school quickly catches up, with 6th graders scoring 51% proficient compared to the state's 41.7%. This pattern shows that Amanda Gist Elementary School excels at accelerating student progress, making it a standout choice for families seeking a school that delivers strong results and closes learning gaps.
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