Summary:
In zip code 72638 (Green Forest, Arkansas), there is one middle school, Green Forest Intermed School, serving grades 4 through 8 with 551 students in the Green Forest School District.
Green Forest Intermed School consistently scores below the state average in most subjects, with a state ranking that has fluctuated between the 32nd and 49th percentiles over the past three years. A notable bright spot is Algebra proficiency, which in the 2024-2025 school year reached 45%, significantly outperforming the state average of 30.9%. However, the school faces challenges in English Language Arts and Reading, where proficiency gaps of 5.8 and 7.4 percentage points below the state average were observed in 2025-2026. A concerning "6th grade slump" is evident, with a sharp drop in performance across all subjects in 6th grade compared to 5th grade, a pattern not seen in state averages. The school serves a high-needs population, with 83.48% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, and invests $11,689 per student with a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.6:1.
Despite above-average spending and a low student-teacher ratio, academic outcomes remain below state benchmarks, particularly in literacy and science. The school's ranking volatility appears driven more by changes in other schools' performance than by its own stable test scores. For parents, this school offers strong Algebra instruction for advanced students but requires focused support in literacy and a careful look at the 6th-grade transition. The district may need to evaluate how resources are deployed to improve instructional effectiveness, especially in reading and science.
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