Best High Schools in Zip Code 72701

Zip code 72701 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, is home to two high schools within the Fayetteville School District, serving grades 9-12 with a combined enrollment of over 2,800 students in a highly-rated district that ranks 34th out of 251 in the state.

Fayetteville High School is the standout performer, earning a 5-star rating and ranking 28th out of 293 high schools in Arkansas for the 2025-2026 school year. With 2,588 students, it significantly exceeds state averages in all subjects, particularly in Biology where 59.8% of students are proficient compared to the state average of 42.7%. It boasts a 93.2% graduation rate, a low 1.3% dropout rate, and spends $14,846 per student. In contrast, Agee Lierly Life Preparation Services School is a much smaller alternative school with 250 students, ranking near the bottom at 288th. It shows near-zero proficiency in core subjects like ELA and Algebra, yet achieves a 91.3% graduation rate—above the state average—with a much higher 6.0% dropout rate and a lower per-student spending of $10,521.

The most striking finding is the "alternative school paradox" at Agee Lierly, where a 6:1 student-teacher ratio and a 63.2% free/reduced lunch rate (compared to 35.63% at Fayetteville High) do not translate into test score gains, but the school still graduates students at a high rate, suggesting a focus on credit recovery and persistence over standardized testing. Meanwhile, Fayetteville High School’s higher spending and larger size support a broad curriculum and strong academic outcomes, creating a tale of two schools within the same district that serve very different student needs effectively.