The top reported proficiency rate is 15% in English language arts. The lowest is 7% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Reed Elementary School
Reed Elementary School serves third, fourth, and fifth graders in the Dumas School District, a small Delta town in Desha County, Arkansas. The school occupies a modest building on Cherry Street in the center of Dumas, just off the Main Street corridor that has long defined the community’s commercial and civic life. The grade band means that students enter in the fall of third grade and leave after fifth, moving on to a middle school or junior high within the same district.
State testing data from the most recent year shows that across all three grades and three subjects — math, English language arts, and science — very few students scored at the proficient level or above. In math, the share of students meeting that bar was in the single digits for every grade. In English language arts, the proportion was slightly higher but still a small minority, hovering just above the range seen in math. Science results varied more by grade, but again only a modest fraction of students reached proficiency. Compared against other districts in Desha County, Reed Elementary’s combined proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades lands in the bottom quarter of the two districts that make up the county. A parent looking at these results will want to dig deeper into what academic supports are in place and how the school addresses foundational skills, because the numbers point to a persistent challenge in reaching grade-level standards.
The student body is overwhelmingly low-income, with every student qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is small, with roughly similar numbers in each of the three grade levels, plus a handful of ungraded students. Racially, the majority of students are Black, with a sizable White minority and a smaller Hispanic share. One American Indian student is enrolled. The share of students with disabilities and the share who are English learners were not reported in the available data, so families should ask the school directly about the availability of special education services and language supports.
The town of Dumas has seen a long population decline, and its economy is rooted in agriculture and agricultural processing, with a feed mill that was a major employer until it was destroyed by a tornado several years ago. Civic leaders have since worked to redevelop, opening a technology education center that offers college credit and workforce training, and planning a new hospital. Housing costs in the area are well below national and state medians, and the local unemployment rate generally tracks near the national average. For a family moving into the area, the affordable housing stock may be a draw, though the limited economic opportunities and shrinking population are real considerations.
No recent changes in district policy, curriculum, tax measures, or school operations that would be directly relevant to a parent were identified in publicly available searches. The district appears to have maintained a steady course.
Reed Elementary offers a straightforward elementary program in a small, high-poverty setting. The academic performance data is sobering, and a parent would want to understand what specific curricula, intervention programs, and teacher supports are in place to move the needle. The school’s size and the district’s modest staffing likely mean that each child gets individual attention, but the district’s capacity to offer enrichment or specialized programs may be limited. For families who value a close-knit, rural school environment and are prepared to be actively involved in their child’s learning, Reed Elementary is the neighborhood option. For those seeking a school with stronger aggregate academic outcomes, the data suggests that this may not be the fit without additional support at home or from the school.
See more original research from School Decision →