The top reported proficiency rate is 22% in English language arts. The lowest is 16% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Anna Strong Learning Academy
Anna Strong Learning Academy, a public school in Marianna, Arkansas, serves students from prekindergarten through sixth grade as part of the Lee County School District. The school sits in the heart of a small, rural Delta town that has experienced persistent population loss over many decades, a pattern common across the region. Housing values in the area are well below state and national benchmarks, indicating a low-cost market. A large majority of students come from households facing economic challenges, and the student body is predominantly Black, with smaller shares of white and Hispanic students.
The school’s academic results on the state assessment present a clear picture of a school in an early phase of rebuilding. Across tested grades in math, proficiency rates are low, with modest variation by grade but no grade reaching a high mark. In English language arts, results are similarly low for most grades, though the middle elementary grades show a slightly brighter spot compared to the others. Science results show the same pattern, with proficiency rates that are low across all tested grades. The school has recently been the subject of publicly reported news: after several years of state intervention and a prior low rating, the school earned a mid-level state grade for the 2024-25 school year, an improvement that was noted in local press. The district overall received a low letter grade from the state, and the local high school received the lowest rating, though it was reported to have raised its graduation rate.
The broader district context matters for a family evaluating this school. In early 2026, the Arkansas State Board of Education voted to return the Lee County School District to local control after a prolonged period of state supervision that began due to accreditation and recordkeeping violations. A newly appointed local school board now governs the district, with the state providing directed support for a defined period and requiring quarterly reporting. This transition marks a structural shift in oversight and accountability that families may want to follow closely.
The school itself offers no high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and there are no data available on discipline, chronic absenteeism, course access, or staffing ratios. The school’s charter and magnet status are not indicated, and Title I status is not provided, though the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals is very high, which often accompanies Title I designation. The absence of key civil rights and school climate data — such as special education identification rates, English learner counts, and discipline breakdowns — leaves gaps that a family may wish to explore directly with the district or school.
Because the district is the only one in Lee County, there is no basis for comparison against neighboring districts within the county. The locale is typical of a small Delta county seat: the town has limited walkability, a historic courthouse square, and public schools integrated into the community fabric rather than on separate campuses. Civic anchors include a city park, a county historical museum, and proximity to the St. Francis National Forest. Major employers are tied to agriculture, county government, and the school district itself.
For a family considering Anna Strong Learning Academy, the evidence shows a school with low academic proficiency rates in all subjects and grades tested, set within a district emerging from a long period of state oversight. The school serves a community with deep economic need and limited housing costs. The school’s recent improvement in state rating suggests movement in a positive direction, but the trajectory is early, and the available data does not yet show that improvement reflected in the state assessment results. A parent looking into this school will want to learn more about classroom conditions, teacher stability, and what academic support structures are in place. The school’s grade band stops at sixth grade, so families will also need to consider the secondary options in the district as their child ages.
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