Summary:
The 71720 zip code area is home to two schools - Bearden Elementary School and Bearden High School, both part of the Bearden School District. Unfortunately, the data indicates these schools are struggling, with both performing significantly below state averages in key academic metrics.
Bearden Elementary serves grades K-6 and has 258 students, with over 73% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school's proficiency rates in 2023-2024 were just 27.8% in ELA, 22.1% in math, and 21.4% in science - all well below the state averages. Bearden High School, serving grades 7-12, has 218 students with a similar high percentage (over 70%) qualifying for free/reduced lunch. Proficiency rates at the high school were even lower, at just 17.2% in ELA, 10.8% in math, and 9.6% in science.
The Bearden School District as a whole is ranked 222 out of 252 districts in Arkansas and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating significant room for improvement across the board. While the student-teacher ratio is relatively low at Bearden High, this does not seem to translate to better academic outcomes. Similarly, the higher per-student spending at the high school level does not appear to be driving improved performance. Overall, the data paints a concerning picture of the educational opportunities available to students in this area, and substantial changes will be needed to raise achievement and provide a high-quality education.
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