The top reported proficiency rate is 35% in Math. The lowest is 21% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Paragould Junior High
Paragould Junior High serves seventh and eighth graders in the Paragould School District, a public district in the county seat of Greene County. This is a school of its size for the junior high grades, with about the same number of students in each grade. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, Black, multiracial, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. Every student at the school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a distinction that reflects the district’s participation in the federal program covering all enrolled students.
State testing data from the Arkansas ATLAS assessment shows the school’s performance. In math, about two-fifths of seventh graders and about a third of eighth graders scored at the proficient level or above. In English language arts, about a fifth of seventh graders and a similar share of eighth graders reached that bar. In science, the proportion was just over a quarter in both grades. When these results are combined across subjects and grades into an overall index, the school’s performance places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Greene County. A parent considering this school may want to ask the school or district about academic support programs, intervention strategies for students below grade level, and what specific steps are being taken in literacy and math instruction. Because the school serves only seventh and eighth grades, there is no graduation rate to report.
The school sits in Paragould, a city of its size that grew steadily through recent decades. The town has a working-class, county-seat character with manufacturing, healthcare, and retail as its largest industries. Housing values in the immediate area are below the state average and well below the national figure, making homeownership more accessible here than in many parts of the country. The city has a traditional downtown centered on the historic courthouse, with highway-oriented commercial development along the major routes that intersect west of downtown. Civic anchors include the public library, a community center, and nearby state parks. New housing subdivisions have been expanding, particularly in the western and southern parts of the city, and the area’s manufacturing sector has seen investment from a wind turbine facility.
The district brief turned up little recent news of lasting relevance to a prospective parent. No major boundary changes, program overhauls, or leadership transitions were found in publicly reported sources. The district’s website and typical public records show it is an accredited public system, but beyond that, a parent would need to contact the district office directly for its current strategic priorities, budget outlook, and any curriculum updates.
For a family weighing this school, the picture is one of a mid-sized junior high in a growing small city where housing is relatively affordable. The student population is economically diverse in the sense that all students are part of the universal meal program, and the school’s academic results on state tests are below many of the county’s other districts. This may be a place where a family wants to learn more about interventions, tutoring, and how the school identifies and supports students who are not yet meeting grade-level targets. The school has no graduation data because it does not serve the high school grades, so the natural next step is to look at the high school where these students feed in and see how the progression holds up from junior high onward.
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