Summary:
In zip code 72751, located in Pea Ridge, Arkansas, there are two middle schools serving grades 5 through 9 within the Pea Ridge School District, a district ranked 108th out of 251 in the state with a 3-star rating.
Pea Ridge Middle School (grades 5-6) stands out as the higher-performing school in core subjects, consistently exceeding state averages in Math (65.5% proficient vs. 44.1% state), Reading (46.7% vs. 40.4%), and Science (53.3% vs. 44.0%). It also has a higher spending per student ($10,309) and a higher student-teacher ratio (21.9:1). In contrast, Pea Ridge Junior High School (grades 7-9) excels in advanced coursework, with dramatically higher proficiency in Geometry (72.4% vs. 26.4% state) and Biology (75.3% vs. 42.7% state), despite spending less per student ($9,280) and having a lower student-teacher ratio (14.6:1). Both schools have similar, relatively low levels of economic disadvantage, with about 31% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
A key finding is the significant drop in math proficiency when students transition from the high-performing 6th grade at Pea Ridge Middle School (73.7% proficient) to 7th grade at Pea Ridge Junior High (52.5% proficient), a 21-percentage-point decline. Additionally, the Junior High shows a bifurcated math program: while 8th-grade Math proficiency is low (24.2% vs. 36.2% state), its 8th-grade Algebra scores are strong (68.2% vs. 73.9% state), suggesting the school effectively accelerates top students but may struggle to support those in standard-level courses. This creates a complex picture where the Middle School provides a strong foundation, while the Junior High offers exceptional opportunities for advanced learners but faces challenges with its general student population.
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