The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in Math. The lowest is 37% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Murfreesboro Elementary School
Murfreesboro Elementary School serves kindergarten through sixth grade in the rural town of Murfreesboro, Arkansas, as part of the South Pike County School District. The district was formed years ago through the merger of the Murfreesboro and Delight school districts, and it now covers the county-seat community and its surroundings. For parents considering this school, the context matters as much as the classroom: Murfreesboro is a small, declining town that relies on tourism from the nearby Crater of Diamonds State Park, along with light industry and agriculture. The loss of the town’s only grocery store to a fire in late 2023 has added to the challenges of daily life, and many residents commute to other towns for work and shopping. Home values in the area are well below the national median, and the local economy has been stagnant for years.
The school itself is a neighborhood elementary building that draws nearly all of its students from low-income households, with a very high share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic students and students of two or more races. Enrollment is spread relatively evenly across the elementary grades, giving each grade a modest class size. No data was available on the number of students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how those groups are supported.
Academically, Murfreesboro Elementary participates in Arkansas’s ATLAS state assessments. Performance varies across grades and subjects. In math, the strongest results came from third graders, where a slim majority of students scored at or above the proficient level. Fourth graders were close behind, while sixth graders also had a sizable share reaching proficiency. Fifth graders struggled the most in math, with fewer than a third meeting the bar. In English language arts, third graders again led, with a slim majority proficient, but results dropped sharply in fourth and fifth grades before recovering somewhat in sixth grade. Science scores followed a similar pattern: third and fourth graders had the highest proficiency rates, while fifth graders had the lowest, with sixth graders landing in between. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index placed it above the midpoint when compared with the three districts in Pike County. That said, the pattern suggests that some grade levels, particularly fifth grade, may benefit from additional academic support.
The district has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for a multiyear term through 2025, reflecting a sustained one-to-one technology program that puts Apple devices in the hands of each student. This suggests that technology integration is a consistent part of daily instruction, which may appeal to families who want their children to build digital literacy early. Beyond that, the data does not provide details on course offerings, extracurricular activities, or staffing ratios. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school does not offer advanced coursework or career pathways that would apply at this level.
Murfreesboro Elementary is a rural school in a community that has seen better economic days. For families already living in or moving to Murfreesboro, it is the neighborhood school and the primary option for elementary education in the southern part of Pike County. The combination of high poverty, modest but variable test results, and a technology-rich district environment gives a mixed picture. A parent may want to visit the school, talk to teachers about how they address the dips in fifth-grade performance, and understand what special education and English learner services look like, since those numbers were not available in the public data. The school is small enough that families may find a close-knit atmosphere, but the broader community’s decline and limited local services are real factors to weigh.
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