International Studies Magnet, Jonesboro AR

Original Research by School Decision on International Studies Magnet

International Studies Magnet serves students from first through sixth grade as part of the Jonesboro School District. The school is not a charter school, and its Title I status was not available in the data provided.

The school sits within a mid-sized regional hub city that blends residential neighborhoods with a university campus, healthcare complexes, and a food-processing industry base. Jonesboro is the economic and cultural center of Northeast Arkansas, anchored by Arkansas State University and two hospital systems. The city spans a large area for its population, making it predominantly car-dependent, with public transit limited to a few fixed routes. Six separate public school districts operate within the city limits, a reflection of its sprawling, multi-node built environment rather than a single compact town. Housing values in the zip code fell below the state benchmark, and rents were similarly positioned, making the area comparatively affordable relative to Arkansas as a whole.

The Jonesboro School District itself provided little publicly reported information about recent parent-relevant changes such as referenda, curriculum shifts, or tax adjustments. The data available suggests a stable district without major recent upheavals, though a family moving into the area may want to contact the district directly for current developments.

International Studies Magnet enrolls a student body that is predominantly white, with a substantial Black or African American population and a smaller share of Hispanic students. Every student at the school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a consistent indicator of the economic profile of the attendance zone. The school serves a single grade band, first through sixth, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly across those grades.

The school reported state assessment results from Arkansas's ATLAS exam for the most recent testing year. In mathematics, proficiency rates varied by grade level. The third grade cohort showed roughly half of students meeting the state's proficient-or-above threshold. Fourth grade dipped lower, with about a third of students reaching that mark. Fifth and sixth grades climbed back to a range approaching half of students scoring proficient or better. In English language arts, the pattern was similar. Third grade again had roughly half of students proficient. Fourth grade dropped to a lower share, while fifth and sixth grades sat at a level just below half. Science results were steadier. Third grade showed a rate close to half, fourth grade was lower, and fifth and sixth grades each posted a share just under half.

Looking at the school's overall performance across all tested subjects and grades, it placed in the top quartile relative to other districts in Craighead County. This comparison is based on a proficiency index that averages the rates from the available subjects and grades, and the data sets the school within a cohort of eight districts. The proficiency index for the school exceeded the midpoint of the range across those districts, meaning its composite results were higher than the typical district in the county.

Because International Studies Magnet serves only kindergarten through sixth grade, it has no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data was also not available, so patterns around attendance could not be assessed from the information provided.

For a parent considering this school, the picture is one of an elementary and middle-grade magnet that consistently serves a student body of moderate size with a high concentration of economic need. The school's academic results are mixed but trend toward the stronger end when compared with other schools in the same county, particularly in the upper elementary grades. A parent may want to look into how the school supports students who are not yet meeting proficiency benchmarks, especially given the dip seen in fourth grade math and reading, and to ask about the school's approach as students prepare for the transition into the upper grades and eventually high school. The lack of publicly reported district-level changes suggests a quiet period for the Jonesboro School District, but a family new to the area would benefit from visiting the school and speaking directly with staff about programming and school culture.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 350%

School 50% · District 32% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 433%

School 33% · District 31% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 544%

School 44% · District 35% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 654%

School 54% · District 40% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 352%

School 52% · District 26% · ▲ 25 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 442%

School 42% · District 29% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 26% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 644%

School 44% · District 31% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Science

Grade 347%

School 47% · District 25% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 442%

School 42% · District 27% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 548%

School 48% · District 33% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 648%

School 48% · District 30% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

This schoolJONESBORO 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.