The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in Math. The lowest is 21% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Hermitage High School
Hermitage High School serves grades seven through twelve in a single building that is part of the small, rural town of Hermitage in Bradley County, Arkansas. The school sits within a community rooted in agriculture—tomato farming and poultry processing are the economic anchors—and the town itself has been losing population over recent decades. The Hermitage School District comprises just an elementary school, a middle school, and this high school, all woven into the town’s fabric rather than set apart on remote campuses.
The student body is small, and every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need across the school community. Racially, the majority of students are white, with a notable Hispanic population and a smaller Black student group. Data on students receiving special education services or classified as English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how those populations are supported.
State testing results are reported only for the middle school grades, seventh and eighth; high school state assessment data was not included in what was available. In math, proficiency rates in both seventh and eighth grade are below half, with the eighth-grade rate lower than the seventh. English language arts results follow a similar pattern, with proficiency reaching roughly a quarter of seventh graders and a smaller share of eighth graders. Science proficiency is somewhat higher but still below a third. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint among the two districts in Bradley County, but the absolute levels are low. A parent considering this school should recognize that academic performance, by these measures, is an area that would likely need careful attention and further discussion with the school about how instruction and support are structured.
No graduation rate was reported for Hermitage High School, even though the school serves twelfth grade. This gap could stem from data suppression or reporting issues; it is worth clarifying directly with the district. Course access data, including Advanced Placement or dual-credit offerings, was also missing from the available information, leaving a key piece of the academic pathway unclear.
The broader town context reinforces the school’s challenges. Hermitage is a small, low-density place with limited commercial activity—a grocery store, two gas stations, a few churches, and a library branch. Major local employers are agricultural operations, and no new housing developments or growth projects were identified. The population has been declining, which often translates into enrollment pressures and tighter budgets for a district. The district itself showed no recent parent-relevant changes of lasting impact in public records.
For a family weighing this school, the picture is one of a close-knit, small-town setting with a high-poverty student body and modest academic results on the tests that are reported. The absence of information on high school outcomes, graduation, and program offerings means that firsthand inquiry with the school is essential to understand the full pathway from seventh grade through graduation. This school fits a family that values a small, familiar environment and is prepared to be actively engaged in understanding and supporting their child’s academic experience.
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