Summary:
The six public schools in zip code 72740 (Huntsville, AR) serve approximately 2,287 students across elementary, middle, and high school levels, all part of the Huntsville School District, which holds a 2-star rating and ranks 171st out of 251 districts in Arkansas.
Two schools stand out for different reasons. St. Paul High School is the highest-ranked school in the area (40th percentile) despite having the highest poverty rate (73.3%) and the highest per-student spending ($17,255). It boasts the lowest dropout rate (0.9%) and a strong graduation rate (81.8%), outperforming the much larger Huntsville High School, which ranks in the 24th percentile with a higher dropout rate (3.1%) and lower graduation rate (88.2%). Meanwhile, Huntsville Middle School is an outlier in Algebra, with 88.9% of 8th graders scoring proficient on the 2025-2026 Algebra ATLAS exam—far exceeding the state average of 73.9% and the district's overall Algebra rate of 26.8%. The smallest schools, St. Paul Elementary School and St. Paul High School, benefit from low student-teacher ratios (7.6:1 and 7.2:1, respectively) and higher per-pupil spending, which appears to yield better outcomes despite high economic disadvantage.
Overall, the district faces systemic challenges, with an average free/reduced lunch rate of 71.5% and consistent underperformance in core subjects like English Language Arts and standard Mathematics compared to state averages. However, the "small school advantage" is evident, as St. Paul schools outperform larger counterparts like Huntsville Intermediate School in several 5th-grade subjects. Notably, Huntsville High School has seen a sharp decline, dropping from the 61st percentile in 2023-2024 to the 24th percentile in 2025-2026, while St. Paul High School remains more stable. For parents, this data suggests that smaller, well-funded schools may offer stronger academic environments, though the district's high poverty rate remains a key factor in overall performance.
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