The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in Math. The lowest is 30% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Prescott Elementary School
Prescott Elementary School is a kindergarten-through-fourth-grade public school in Prescott, Arkansas, a small rural city that serves as the county seat of Nevada County. The town, which originated as a railroad stop, has seen its population decline over recent decades, and its economic base now includes a mix of manufacturing, printing, and food production alongside the school district itself as a major employer. The school sits within the Prescott School District, which also operates a junior high and a high school on separate campuses. No recent district-level changes that would directly affect families were publicly documented, according to available information.
Academically, Prescott Elementary participates in Arkansas’s ATLAS state assessments, and the most recent results show a notable difference between grade levels. Across all tested subjects — math, English language arts, and science — third-grade proficiency rates are considerably below the state average, while fourth-grade performance is stronger, particularly in math. The overall proficiency index, which combines results across subjects and tested grades, places the school above the midpoint among the two school districts in Nevada County. This means that relative to the other district in the county, Prescott Elementary’s combined test scores come out ahead. However, the pattern suggests that many students arrive at third grade below grade-level expectations and may make meaningful gains by fourth grade, especially in math. A parent interested in early literacy and numeracy support would want to ask the school about its response to these lower third-grade scores and any intervention programs in place.
The school’s student population is predominantly white, with a substantial Black enrollment and smaller numbers of American Indian or Alaska Native students, Hispanic students, and students of Asian descent. A very high proportion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a community with significant economic need. Information on the share of students with disabilities or English learner status was not provided, so families with children in those groups should confirm the available supports directly with the school. No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing ratios was available for this profile.
Prescott itself offers modest housing costs, with home values well below both the state and national medians, reflecting the area’s rural and lower-income context. The town is working to attract commercial development along the Interstate 30 corridor, but the overall population trend has been downward. The school is located on a shared campus separate from the downtown historic district, where the county courthouse, library, and depot museum are found. For families, the community’s scale and pace are typical of a small Arkansas county seat: car-dependent outside the immediate downtown, with a few local employers and recreational options such as a nearby state park.
Because Prescott Elementary serves only early elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and no data on advanced coursework or career programs applies here. The available academic picture shows a school that lags in third-grade performance but appears to raise student outcomes by fourth grade, particularly in math. Families considering this school would be well served to visit and ask about the specific strategies used to move students from low proficiency in third grade to the stronger results seen a year later. The school’s high poverty rate and modest community resources are important context for understanding both the challenges and the progress evident in the data.
See more original research from School Decision →