Marion Math Science & Technology Magnet School, Marion AR

Original Research by School Decision on Marion Math Science & Technology Magnet School

Marion Math Science & Technology Magnet School serves kindergarten through sixth grade in the Marion School District. It is a public school with a stated focus on math, science, and technology, drawing families interested in that orientation. The school enrolls students from across the district, which sits in Crittenden County on the western edge of the Memphis metropolitan area. Marion itself is a mix of residential neighborhoods, a county courthouse square, and major logistics facilities run by Union Pacific and BNSF Railway, giving the town an industrial and freight-rail presence alongside its civic core. The city grew rapidly in the 2000s and 2010s but has seen a population decline recently, suggesting a plateau in what had been a strong growth period.

State testing data for the most recent school year shows that across grades three through six, proficiency rates in math, English language arts, and science were lower than what many families expect. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above was under a quarter in every grade, and in one grade it fell below ten percent. English language arts results followed a similar pattern, with the highest proficiency rate just over a quarter and the lowest falling below fifteen percent. Science results were also on the lower end, with no grade exceeding a quarter of students reaching proficiency. When compared to other schools within Crittenden County, the school’s overall proficiency index places it toward the top of the county’s districts, a reminder that the county-level comparison set is small and that these numbers reflect local context rather than state or national benchmarks.

Most students at the school qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a common indicator of economic need. The student body is majority Black, with a substantial share of white students and smaller groups of students who identify as two or more races, Hispanic, or Asian. Enrollment is large for an elementary and middle school combined, with classes spread across kindergarten through sixth grade. Information on the share of students with disabilities and English learners was not reported in the available data, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about special education services and language supports.

Because the school serves only up to sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and measures like chronic absenteeism and course access for older grades do not apply here. The school’s magnet designation signals a specialized curriculum focus, but the data did not include details on the specific programs or enrichment offerings. A parent considering this school should ask what the math, science, and technology focus looks like in practice, how the school supports students who are below grade-level benchmarks, and what the pathway looks like for students moving into the district’s middle and high schools. The district’s recent history shows no major reported changes or strategic shifts, so the school’s academic approach is likely stable from year to year.

Housing in the Marion area is generally affordable relative to national medians. Home values have risen moderately over the past year. The typical mortgage payment on a median-priced home would be manageable for a household earning the national median income. With a substantial share of students coming from low-income households, the school likely provides free meals and other support services. Families moving into the area should expect a car-dependent landscape. Marion is bisected by interstate and U.S. highways, and the built environment is spread out. There is limited pedestrian street life, though there are traditional gathering spaces around the courthouse and city hall square.

For a family weighing this school, the choice comes down to whether the math, science, and technology focus aligns with their child’s interests and whether they are comfortable with the current academic performance data. The school serves a high-needs population, and the proficiency numbers are an honest reflection of that challenge. A parent should visit, talk to teachers about how they move students forward, and understand what the transition to the next school looks like. The school exists in a community with a strong industrial and logistics base, a modest cost of living, and a population that has recently shifted from rapid growth to a slight decline. The data tells a straightforward story of a school with an ambitious name and a lot of work ahead.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 321%

School 21% · District 18% · ▲ 4 pts above district

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

Grade 417%

School 17% · District 19% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 59%

School 9% · District 9% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 617%

School 17% · District 14% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 20 pts below state median · even with county median

English language arts

Grade 323%

School 23% · District 20% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 425%

School 25% · District 19% · ▲ 7 pts above district

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

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 21% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 614%

School 14% · District 13%

▼ 19 pts below state median · even with county median

Science

Grade 324%

School 24% · District 22% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 423%

School 23% · District 17% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 512%

School 12% · District 17% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 616%

School 16% · District 14% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

This schoolMARION 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income19%Higher-income31%12 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income24%Higher-income53%29 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income25%Higher-income24%1 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income14%Higher-income38%23 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income20%Higher-income63%42 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income21%Higher-income24%2 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income24%Higher-income41%17 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income3%Higher-income13%9 pp gap