Buffalo Is. Central School District

The Buffalo Is. Central School District in Arkansas operates two schools - Buffalo Island Central Elementary School and Buffalo Island Central High School. The elementary school has consistently ranked in the top 25% of Arkansas elementary schools and earned a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating strong academic performance. In contrast, the high school has struggled, ranking in the bottom half of Arkansas high schools and earning only a 2-star rating.

The elementary school outperforms the district and state averages on standardized tests, particularly in English Language Arts and Mathematics. However, the high school lags behind in many subjects, with especially low proficiency rates in Algebra and Geometry. The elementary school also has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to the high school, suggesting a greater concentration of economically disadvantaged students at the younger grade levels.

Despite the differences in academic performance, both schools have similar per-student spending, with the high school spending slightly more than the elementary school. The elementary school also has a higher student-teacher ratio compared to the high school, suggesting smaller class sizes at the secondary level. The significant drop-off in performance from the elementary to the high school level warrants further investigation to identify the factors contributing to these disparities and develop strategies to improve outcomes at the high school.