Drew Central Middle School, Monticello AR

Original Research by School Decision on Drew Central Middle School

Drew Central Middle School serves students in grades five through eight in Monticello, the county seat of Drew County in southeast Arkansas. The school is part of the Drew Central School District and sits on University Drive, near the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Monticello functions as a regional commercial and educational hub, with an economy rooted in agriculture, timber, the university, and a growing medical sector. The town retains a small-town character with a traditional courthouse square and historic homes, though the population has been slightly declining in recent years. Area housing values sit well below state and national benchmarks.

State testing results from the 2024-25 ATLAS assessment show that overall proficiency levels are low. In math and English language arts, a modest share of students across grades five through eight met the state’s proficiency standard, with performance in the upper elementary grades generally higher than in eighth grade. Eighth-grade math in particular stands out as a pronounced soft spot, with only a very small fraction of students reaching proficiency. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand the supports available. Science results are comparatively stronger across the grade span, though still below what would indicate broad mastery. When placed relative to districts in Drew County, Drew Central Middle School’s combined proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile, signaling that the school faces academic challenges that are more acute than those of neighboring districts.

The student body is composed predominantly of White students, with a substantial Black enrollment and a smaller Hispanic share. The school reports that all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of high economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the records provided. Enrollment appears to be split fairly evenly across the four grade levels, giving the school a moderate size for a middle school.

No specific program offerings were listed in the available data, and information on staffing, discipline, and attendance was also absent. The district brief showed no recently reported changes in curriculum, facilities, or community referendums.

For a family considering Drew Central Middle School, the picture is one of a small-town public school serving a high-poverty community where academic proficiency is low relative to county peers. The school may be a good fit for families who value a local neighborhood school in a town with a strong sense of community identity, anchored by the university and a historic downtown. Parents focused on academic outcomes will want to ask about interventions and enrichment opportunities, particularly in math. The school’s location in Monticello provides access to a library, a county museum, and recreational areas like Lake Monticello, though the area is car-dependent and lacks public transit.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 22%

▼ 11 pts below state median

Grade 631%

School 31% · District 31%

▼ 6 pts below state median

Grade 738%

School 38% · District 38%

▲ 1 pts above state median

Grade 84%

School 4% · District 4%

▼ 24 pts below state median

English language arts

Grade 516%

School 16% · District 16%

▼ 17 pts below state median

Grade 618%

School 18% · District 18%

▼ 15 pts below state median

Grade 721%

School 21% · District 21%

▼ 8 pts below state median

Grade 818%

School 18% · District 18%

▼ 11 pts below state median

Science

Grade 534%

School 34% · District 34%

▲ 1 pts above state median

Grade 630%

School 30% · District 30%

▼ 3 pts below state median

Grade 739%

School 39% · District 39%

▲ 4 pts above state median

Grade 838%

School 38% · District 38%

▲ 4 pts above state median

This schoolDREW CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.