Summary:
The three public schools in zip code 72843, serving the rural community of Hector, Arkansas, are all part of the Hector School District. With a combined enrollment of 695 students across Hector Elementary School (PK-4), Hector Middle School (5-8), and Hector High School (9-12), every student in the district qualifies for free or reduced lunch, indicating a community with very high economic need.
Hector High School is the clear standout, having earned a 4-star rating and ranking in the 71st percentile. It boasts a 95% graduation rate and a very low 0.4% dropout rate, with a notably low student-teacher ratio of 6.2:1. In contrast, Hector Middle School is the area of concern, ranking in the 17th percentile with the highest student-teacher ratio of 14.9:1. Hector Elementary School shows the most improvement, climbing from the 29th to the 37th percentile over three years. The district spends more per student at the high school ($12,507) than at the elementary school ($11,645).
A key finding is a sharp "middle school dip": proficiency in English Language Arts drops from 41.6% at the elementary level to 24.8% at the middle school, and Science falls from 42.7% to 24.6%. Math performance is also inconsistent; while 8th-grade Algebra is a relative strength (57.1% proficient), high school Algebra and Geometry scores are very low (13.5% and 16.1% respectively). This suggests potential issues with curriculum alignment and resource allocation, particularly at the middle school level, which may be the most resource-constrained despite showing the greatest need for intervention.
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