Summary:
In zip code 72662 (Omaha, AR), two public schools serve students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade within the Omaha School District, a small, rural district facing significant socioeconomic challenges with over 68% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
Omaha Elementary School (grades PK-6) is the stronger performer, with a 3rd-grade class that notably exceeds state averages in every subject—including 59.2% proficiency in ELA versus the state's 42.9%. However, this performance drops sharply in 4th and 5th grades, suggesting a potential issue with curriculum transition. In contrast, Omaha High School (grades 7-12) experienced a dramatic decline, falling from a 3-star rating in 2024-2025 to a 1-star rating in 2025-2026, landing in the 17th percentile statewide. A critical red flag is that 0% of 10th graders were proficient in Geometry, far below the state average of 16.5%. Despite this, the high school boasts a standout Biology proficiency rate of 50.1%, significantly exceeding the state average of 42.7%.
The district spends over $14,000 per high school student—well above the state average—yet academic outcomes are among the worst in Arkansas, highlighting a clear efficiency problem. The high school's exceptionally low student-teacher ratio of 3.2:1 suggests a very small staff where a single weak instructor can have an outsized negative impact, while the elementary school's more typical ratio of 13.8:1 appears more effective. Overall, families should note the elementary school's early-grade strengths but be aware of the high school's severe struggles in math and its overall declining performance.
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