Summary:
Zip code 72858 is served by four public schools within the highly-rated Pottsville School District, which ranks 16th out of 251 districts in Arkansas and serves approximately 1,838 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
The standout academic performer is Pottsville Elementary School (PK-3), which consistently ranks in the top 5% of Arkansas elementary schools and leads the district in core subject proficiency, with 67.3% of students proficient in Mathematics compared to the state average of 38.7%. In contrast, Pottsville Junior High School (7-9) shows a dip in general English and reading scores but excels dramatically in advanced coursework, with 82.9% of students proficient in Algebra and 82.2% in Biology—far exceeding state averages. Pottsville High School (10-12) has made a remarkable turnaround, jumping from the 71st to the 92nd percentile in one year, supported by a very low student-teacher ratio of 5:1, a 94% graduation rate, and a dropout rate of just 0.5%. Pottsville Middle Grade (4-6) maintains strong performance across all subjects, with 65.6% proficiency in Mathematics and 59.5% in Science.
A key takeaway is the district's consistent strength in mathematics, with every school outperforming state averages by wide margins. While per-student spending varies from $8,990 at the middle school to $13,371 at the high school, the elementary school achieves top scores with lower spending and a higher student-teacher ratio, suggesting effective teaching and curriculum drive its success. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunch decreases from 44.3% at the elementary level to 34.65% at the high school, indicating shifting economic factors across grade levels. Overall, the Pottsville district offers a strong educational foundation with notable strengths in early education and advanced coursework, though families should be aware of the temporary dip in core subjects during junior high.
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