The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in Science. The lowest is 39% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Holly Harshman Elem. School
Holly Harshman Elementary School serves third through fifth graders in the Mena School District, a public school that draws from the small western Arkansas town of Mena and the surrounding rural area of Polk County. The school is situated within the town itself, near downtown and the county courthouse, and it functions as the upper elementary feeder for the district, receiving students who have completed the earlier primary grades. Because the school stops at fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and high school outcomes are a matter for the district’s secondary school.
On state assessments administered through Arkansas’s ATLAS system, proficiency rates across tested subjects show a mixed picture. In mathematics, the share of students reaching the proficient or above level declines as grades advance: about half of third graders met the bar, but the rate dropped to roughly a third in fourth and fifth grade. English language arts performance was somewhat stronger and more consistent, with between about two-fifths and two-fifths of students proficient across the three grades. Science results were the highest of the three subjects, with the fourth grade group surpassing half proficient and fifth grade also above half. When comparing the school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades to other elementary-level schools in Polk County, the school sits above the midpoint relative to the county’s districts, indicating that its academic performance is in the upper half locally but not at the top. A parent considering this school may want to ask the school directly about strategies to strengthen math achievement in the upper grades, especially given the downward trend from third to fifth grade.
The student body of about 450 children is predominantly White, with small shares of Hispanic students and students of two or more races, and very small numbers from other racial groups. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic context of the area. Mena is a county seat in the Ouachita Mountains with a modest and stable population; the local economy is anchored by healthcare, the school district itself, county government, timber, and a growing outdoor tourism sector tied to the nearby Ouachita National Forest. Housing values in the area are below the state average, and home prices have seen modest year-over-year appreciation. The town has limited walkability, and daily errands typically require a car. No significant new housing construction or rapid development has been reported, and the school district has not recently undergone major referendums, boundary changes, or curriculum overhauls that would affect parents in the near term.
Information about certain support programs at the school is missing from the available data. There is no reported count of students with Individualized Education Plans or English learner status, and there are no attendance, disciplinary, or staffing figures. The school is not a charter or magnet school, and its Title I status is not specified. Families with children who need special education services or language support should inquire directly with the school about the resources available. Similarly, details on course access, enrichment programs, or extracurricular offerings for this grade band are not available in the public data reviewed.
Holly Harshman Elementary offers a standard upper elementary experience in a small-town Arkansas setting. The school’s academic standing is solid relative to its peers in Polk County, with science as a relative strength and math as an area where the school may be focusing improvement. The student body is not highly diverse, and the economic profile is one of moderate to high need. For a family already in the Mena area, this is the local public option for third through fifth grade; for those moving to the area, the modest housing costs and slow-growth community may be a fit for those seeking a quieter, rural lifestyle.
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