Summary:
This analysis examines two middle-level schools in zip code 72801 (Russellville, AR): Russellville Middle School (grades 6-7) and Russellville Intermediate School (grade 5), both part of the Russellville School District.
Russellville Intermediate School is the top academic performer in the area, achieving the highest proficiency rates in Mathematics (58.9%) and Science (58.7%) for the 2025-2026 school year. Its 5th graders are exceptionally strong in Science, scoring nearly 15 percentage points above the state average. In contrast, Russellville Middle School is a standout for its dramatic turnaround. After scoring below district averages in 2024-2025, it posted massive year-over-year gains, including a 14-point jump in Math proficiency (from 39.4% to 53.4%) and a 13.3-point jump in Science (from 38.1% to 51.4%), now surpassing both district and state averages. Notably, the Middle School spends $1,451 more per student ($12,170 vs. $10,719) but is outperformed by the Intermediate School in Math and Science, suggesting the Intermediate School may operate with greater efficiency. Within the Middle School, a 10-point gap exists between 6th graders (58.1% proficient) and 7th graders (48.1% proficient) in Math, indicating a potential challenge in the 7th-grade curriculum.
Both schools consistently outperform the state average in all subjects for 2025-2026, reinforcing the district's "3-star" rating. The Middle School also has the lowest student-teacher ratio (13.3:1) in the area, while the Intermediate School serves a slightly lower percentage of students eligible for free/reduced lunch (62.84% vs. 66.29%). Overall, families in this zip code have access to two strong schools, with the Intermediate School excelling in foundational skills and the Middle School showing remarkable recent improvement.
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