Summary:
The seven schools in Fayetteville's 72704 zip code, part of the high-performing Fayetteville School District and the Lisa Academy charter network, serve elementary and middle school grades with no high schools present, showcasing a dramatic range in academic performance and socioeconomic diversity.
The standout schools are Vandergriff Elementary School, ranked 2nd in the state with 84.1% math proficiency, and Holcomb Elementary School, ranked 21st with 74.4% math proficiency. Both far exceed district and state averages. In contrast, Owl Creek School and John L Colbert Middle School struggle significantly, with test scores often below state averages. Notably, Lisa Academy Fayetteville (elementary) and its middle school are strong performers, ranking in the 95th and 91st percentiles respectively, outperforming their own charter district and competing with top Fayetteville schools despite a higher poverty rate.
A key finding is the "spending paradox": Owl Creek School spends the most per student ($14,514) but has the lowest performance, while Vandergriff Elementary spends the least ($11,305) and is the top performer. There is also a clear "middle school slide," as Holt Middle School and John L Colbert show a significant drop in performance compared to the top elementary schools. The data reveals a strong correlation between higher free/reduced lunch rates and lower academic outcomes, with Owl Creek (69.63%) and John L Colbert (62.45%) having the highest rates and lowest scores, while Vandergriff (11.29%) has the lowest rate and highest scores.
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