Summary:
Zip code 72901 in Fort Smith, Arkansas, is home to 11 schools serving elementary through high school grades, primarily within the Fort Smith School District, a 2-star district, alongside two smaller charter districts.
The standout performer is the Institute For The Creative Arts School, a 5-star school ranked 10th in the state with dramatically higher test scores and a low poverty rate, creating a stark contrast with its neighbors. In contrast, Tilles Elementary School is the lowest-performing traditional school, a 0-star institution with critically low proficiency rates and a very high poverty rate. Carnall Elementary School shows the most significant year-over-year improvement, jumping from the 19th to the 40th percentile. The Belle Point Alternative Center serves a unique, high-need population with a 6.9% graduation rate and the highest per-student spending at $27,301, highlighting the cost of intensive intervention.
Key metrics reveal high poverty across the area, with an average free/reduced lunch rate of 73.5%. Northside High School has a solid 87.1% graduation rate, while Future School Of Fort Smith has a similar rate but a higher dropout rate. Middle school math is a critical weakness, with only 17.5% of 8th graders proficient at William O. Darby Middle School, yet both middle schools excel at accelerating top students, with Algebra proficiency rates near 70%—double the state average. Ballman Elementary School is a notable exception to the poverty-performance trend, outperforming district and state averages in math and science despite a 67% free/reduced lunch rate, making it a potential model for effective teaching in high-poverty settings.
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