Summary:
In zip code 72834, there is one high school, Dardanelle High School, serving grades 9 through 12 with 686 students in the Dardanelle, Arkansas area.
Dardanelle High School is a standout for its strong STEM performance, significantly exceeding state averages in Algebra (45.9% vs. 36.9%), Biology (54% vs. 42.7%), and Geometry (27.3% vs. 26.4%) for the 2025-2026 school year. However, it slightly underperforms the state in English Language Arts (38.7% vs. 39.4%) and Reading (39.8% vs. 40.4%). The school boasts an exceptionally low dropout rate of 0.1% and a graduation rate of 92.3%, above the state average of 90.1%. A key asset is its very low student-teacher ratio of 7.7:1, which supports individualized attention. The school serves a predominantly low-income community, with 65.45% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, yet it achieves strong academic results. Its state ranking has fluctuated, dropping from 26th out of 291 (91st percentile, 5-star) in 2024-2025 to 64th out of 293 (78th percentile, 4-star) in 2025-2026, though this may reflect improved performance by other schools rather than a decline at Dardanelle.
An interesting finding is the "9th Grade Geometry" anomaly: 9th graders taking Geometry had a 70.6% proficiency rate, far above the state average of 59.2%, while 10th graders taking the same subject had only a 22.7% proficiency rate. This suggests the school successfully accelerates high-achieving math students. Overall, Dardanelle High School is a strong choice for families prioritizing STEM education and small class sizes, with room for growth in literacy. It is part of the Dardanelle School District, ranked 126th out of 251 districts in Arkansas.
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