The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in Math. The lowest is 19% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Woodlawn High School
Woodlawn High School sits on Arkansas Highway 63 near Rison, the seat of Cleveland County. Rison is a small rural town that has seen population decline in recent years and functions largely as a bedroom community for people who commute to Pine Bluff, Fordyce, and other nearby towns. Its economy once relied on lumber mills and large-scale farming, but both have contracted significantly; the largest employers today include the county government, the school district, and a lumber company. The school itself belongs to the Woodlawn School District, one of two districts that serve the county.
The school serves students in seventh through twelfth grades in a single building. Enrollment is small. The student body is overwhelmingly white, with small numbers of Hispanic students and even fewer Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Just under half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that points to a substantial concentration of lower-income households given the district’s rural, economically modest setting. The school building and grounds are integrated into the small-town fabric; there is no separated campus, and the surrounding streets see little pedestrian traffic.
State assessment results from the 2024-25 school year, based on Arkansas’s current testing system, show proficiency rates that are low in absolute terms and sit in the bottom quartile when stacked against the other districts in Cleveland County. In seventh-grade math, about a quarter of students scored at the proficient level or above, while in eighth-grade math the share was somewhat higher. English language arts results are weaker: roughly one in five seventh graders and one in five eighth graders met the proficient mark. Science results fall in between, with roughly a third of seventh graders and a third of eighth graders reaching proficiency. These figures cover only the tested grades; no high-school-level state assessment data for this school was available in the profile, so proficiency in later grades is not captured here. Because only two districts exist in the county, the bottom-quartile placement is a small-cohort signal rather than a broad ranking. A parent considering this school will want to discuss with the administration what academic supports are in place, particularly in literacy.
The school’s graduation rate data was not present in this profile, which is uncommon for a school that serves grades nine through twelve. That gap means a fuller picture of high school completion and readiness for college or work is incomplete in this account. It may reflect a reporting gap rather than an actual outcome, but a parent should verify the rate directly with the school.
No information was available on course offerings such as Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, or career and technical education pathways. The school’s website was not part of the data provided, so it is not possible to assess whether students have access to broad elective options or college-preparatory programs. Similarly, chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, and staffing ratios were not reported. These are significant gaps for a family trying to understand day-to-day school environment and student support.
On the housing side, the local market is notably less expensive than national and state medians, and typical mortgage payments are estimated to be a lower share of income than many parts of the country. Rentals are available but limited in supply, consistent with a small rural town.
Woodlawn High School is a small, rural combined middle and high school serving a predominantly white student body in a town with a shrinking economy and population. Academic proficiency on state tests is below county and likely state averages, with reading scores a particular soft spot. A family attracted to a very small school in a quiet, low-cost rural setting may find the environment comfortable, but they should seek out additional information on high school graduation outcomes, academic enrichment and support, and the breadth of course pathways before enrolling.
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