Malvern High School

Q: Is Malvern High School a good school?

Malvern High School ranks 176 th of 305 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Malvern High School is a public high school serving 575 students in grades 9-12 in Malvern, Arkansas, which is part of the Malvern School District. The school consistently underperforms the state average in academic proficiency, with significantly lower test scores in English Language Arts, Reading, and Algebra compared to the state. Additionally, Malvern High School has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 64.12% to 71.72% over the past three school years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 7.8 to 8.7 over the past three school years, Malvern High School's academic performance lags behind nearby high schools, such as Fountain Lake Charter High School, Lakeside High School, and Magnet Cove High School, which have higher proficiency rates and better state rankings. This suggests that factors beyond just student-teacher ratio, such as socioeconomic challenges and systemic issues within the Malvern School District, may be contributing to the school's academic struggles.

Interestingly, Malvern High School spends more per student, at $12,553 in the 2018-2019 school year, compared to some nearby schools, but this higher spending does not appear to translate into better academic outcomes. This finding suggests that simply increasing funding or reducing class sizes may not be enough to address the challenges facing Malvern High School, and a more comprehensive approach targeting the root causes of the school's underperformance may be necessary.

Detail:

Public 9-12

525 E Highland Ave
Malvern, AR 72104

(501) 332-6905

District: Malvern School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
176^th of 305 Arkansas High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,553

Feeder schools for Malvern High School:

Elementary:	Malvern Elementary School
Middle:	Malvern Middle School
	Wilson Intermediate School

Student/teacher ratio: 7.6

Number of students: 575

Racial breakdown:

White:

45.4%

African American:

31.8%

Hispanic:

12.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 73.7%

See top rated Arkansas high schools

Compare Malvern High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Malvern High School ranks worse than 57.7% of high schools in Arkansas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.69. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Malvern High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (45.4%), African American (31.8%), Hispanic (12.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 73.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Malvern High School is 7.6. (See more...)

Compare Malvern High School employs 74.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Malvern High School is $12,553.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Malvern High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Malvern High School 176^th of 305 Arkansas public high schools. (See Malvern High School in the ranking list.)

Malvern School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Malvern School District 200^th of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Malvern High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AR State Percentile
2006	44.94	123^rd	232	47.0%
2007	43.34	140^th	258	45.7%
2008	40.96	159^th	256	37.9%
2009	51.97	112^th	261	57.1%
2010	45.03	144^th	262	45.0%
2011	59.28	94^th	266	64.7%
2012	57.12	108^th	266	59.4%
2013	51.01	129^th	271	52.4%
2014	44.38	166^th	268	38.1%
2015	48.49	96^th	267	64.0%
2016	33.78	203^rd	269	24.5%
2017	33.16	197^th	264	25.4%
2018	45.93	156^th	263	40.7%
2019	45.79	166^th	282	41.1%
2021	35.90	204^th	290	29.7%
2022	31.33	220^th	282	22.0%
2023	34.47	208^th	295	29.5%
2024	42.69	176^th	305	42.3%

See the entire list of Arkansas High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for Malvern High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	479	166	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	646
1989	418	174	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	592
1990	428	172	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	601
1991	403	165	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	569
1992	414	177	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	592
1993	445	179	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	626
1994	458	171	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	631
1995	433	179	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	616
1996	433	179	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	616
1997	375	177	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	556
1998	385	167	1	1	4	n/a	n/a	558
1999	313	164	6	1	1	n/a	n/a	485
2000	323	160	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	487
2001	302	150	2	3	2	n/a	n/a	459
2002	289	143	2	3	1	n/a	n/a	438
2003	289	143	2	3	1	n/a	n/a	438
2004	281	152	5	6	1	n/a	n/a	445
2005	302	144	4	4	0	n/a	n/a	454
2006	389	227	4	15	2	n/a	n/a	637
2007	385	229	7	23	1	n/a	n/a	645
2008	388	229	6	29	0	n/a	n/a	652
2009	365	213	5	26	1	n/a	n/a	610
2010	360	218	4	22	2	1	0	607
2011	375	216	1	21	1	1	2	617
2012	340	209	6	22	0	2	14	593
2013	363	217	3	24	0	1	13	621
2014	353	214	3	32	1	0	14	617
2015	322	195	1	38	0	0	20	576
2016	301	180	3	39	1	1	31	556
2017	285	166	3	36	1	0	34	525
2018	284	163	2	45	2	1	32	529
2019	292	159	0	51	2	1	29	534
2020	290	151	0	57	2	1	32	533
2021	299	170	4	66	3	1	45	588
2022	311	165	1	61	3	0	53	594
2023	263	180	2	66	2	0	62	575
2024	261	183	2	70	2	1	56	575

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Malvern High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	646	37.8	17.0	n/a
1989	592	41.0	14.4	n/a
1990	601	40.0	15.0	18
1991	569	32.6	17.4	20
1992	592	33.8	17.5	19.8
1993	626	35.8	17.5	25.1
1994	631	36.3	17.4	24.1
1995	616	38.6	16.0	27.1
1996	616	38.6	16.0	27.1
1997	556	40.7	13.7	23.7
1998	558	40.7	13.7	26.3
1999	485	23.4	20.7	31.1
2000	487	36.0	13.5	30.4
2001	459	37.0	12.4	36.4
2002	438	30.0	14.6	42.7
2003	438	30.0	14.6	42.7
2004	445	31.0	14.4	39.8
2005	454	29.0	15.7	41.6
2006	637	53.0	12.0	46.5
2007	645	53.0	12.2	51.3
2008	652	59.0	11.1	52.6
2009	610	49.0	12.4	56.1
2010	607	54.0	11.0	55.7
2011	617	47.0	13.1	62.7
2012	593	47.0	12.5	61.4
2013	621	49.6	12.5	58.1
2014	617	52.0	11.8	63.7
2015	576	55.0	10.4	64.8
2016	556	52.0	10.6	66.7
2017	525	54.0	9.7	31.2
2018	529	49.3	10.7	32.9
2019	534	61.6	8.6	63.7
2020	533	60.8	8.7	65.3
2021	588	68.8	8.5	64.1
2022	594	68.0	8.7	71.7
2023	575	73.2	7.8	65.9
2024	575	74.7	7.6	73.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Malvern High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	646	37.8	17.0	n/a
1989	592	41.0	14.4	n/a
1990	601	40.0	15.0	18
1991	569	32.6	17.4	20
1992	592	33.8	17.5	19.8
1993	626	35.8	17.5	25.1
1994	631	36.3	17.4	24.1
1995	616	38.6	16.0	27.1
1996	616	38.6	16.0	27.1
1997	556	40.7	13.7	23.7
1998	558	40.7	13.7	26.3
1999	485	23.4	20.7	31.1
2000	487	36.0	13.5	30.4
2001	459	37.0	12.4	36.4
2002	438	30.0	14.6	42.7
2003	438	30.0	14.6	42.7
2004	445	31.0	14.4	39.8
2005	454	29.0	15.7	41.6
2006	637	53.0	12.0	46.5
2007	645	53.0	12.2	51.3
2008	652	59.0	11.1	52.6
2009	610	49.0	12.4	56.1
2010	607	54.0	11.0	55.7
2011	617	47.0	13.1	62.7
2012	593	47.0	12.5	61.4
2013	621	49.6	12.5	58.1
2014	617	52.0	11.8	63.7
2015	576	55.0	10.4	64.8
2016	556	52.0	10.6	66.7
2017	525	54.0	9.7	31.2
2018	529	49.3	10.7	32.9
2019	534	61.6	8.6	63.7
2020	533	60.8	8.7	65.3
2021	588	68.8	8.5	64.1
2022	594	68.0	8.7	71.7
2023	575	73.2	7.8	65.9
2024	575	74.7	7.6	73.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Malvern High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$779 (6.2%)	$11,774 (93.8%)	$12,553

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Malvern High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 166^th of 282 High schools	Ranks 208^th of 295 High schools	11.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English (Malvern High School)	51.9	39.2	12.7%
9th Grade English (Malvern School District)	51.9	39.2	12.7%
9th Grade English (Arkansas)	58.6	53.4	5.2%
9th Grade Math (Malvern High School)	27.7	14.2	13.5%
9th Grade Math (Malvern School District)	27.7	14.2	13.5%
9th Grade Math (Arkansas)	35.8	26.6	9.2%
9th Grade Science (Malvern High School)	27	18.2	8.8%
9th Grade Science (Malvern School District)	27	18.2	8.8%
9th Grade Science (Arkansas)	35	31.9	3.1%
9th Grade Reading (Malvern High School)	31.6	28.2	3.4%
9th Grade Reading (Malvern School District)	31.6	28.2	3.4%
9th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	37.4	40.6	3.2%
10th Grade English (Malvern High School)	57.6	49.7	7.9%
10th Grade English (Malvern School District)	57.6	49.7	7.9%
10th Grade English (Arkansas)	59.6	54.4	5.2%
10th Grade Math (Malvern High School)	22.4	17	5.4%
10th Grade Math (Malvern School District)	22.4	17	5.4%
10th Grade Math (Arkansas)	29.2	20.4	8.8%
10th Grade Science (Malvern High School)	28	24.5	3.5%
10th Grade Science (Malvern School District)	28	24.5	3.5%
10th Grade Science (Arkansas)	33	28.6	4.4%
10th Grade Reading (Malvern High School)	31.4	31.3	0.1%
10th Grade Reading (Malvern School District)	31.4	31.3	0.1%
10th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	32.2	35.9	3.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Malvern High School)	18	9.6	8.4%
11th Grade Mathematics (Malvern School District)	18	9.6	8.4%
11th Grade English (Malvern High School)	51.7	36.1	15.6%
11th Grade English (Malvern School District)	51.7	36.1	15.6%
11th Grade Reading (Malvern High School)	34.8	21.7	13.1%
11th Grade Reading (Malvern School District)	34.8	21.7	13.1%
11th Grade Science (Malvern High School)	16.9	14.5	2.4%
11th Grade Science (Malvern School District)	16.9	14.5	2.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	534	575	7.7%
African American	159	180	13.2%
American Indian	2	2
Asian	0	2
Hispanic	51	66	29.4%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	292	263	9.9%
Two or More Races	29	62	113.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	63.7%	65.9%	2.2%

Schools Near Malvern High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ATLAS English Language Arts (2024)					ATLAS Reading (2024)					ATLAS Mathematics (2024)			ATLAS Algebra (2024)			ATLAS Geometry (2024)					ATLAS Science (2024)			ATLAS Biology (2024)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ATLAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 9th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 10th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 7th Grade	ATLAS Reading 8th Grade	ATLAS Reading 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading 10th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 7th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 8th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Algebra 8th Grade	ATLAS Algebra 9th Grade	ATLAS Algebra All Grades	ATLAS Geometry 9th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 10th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 11th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 12th Grade	ATLAS Geometry All Grades	ATLAS Science 7th Grade	ATLAS Science 8th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	ATLAS Biology 9th Grade	ATLAS Biology 10th Grade	ATLAS Biology 11th Grade	ATLAS Biology 12th Grade	ATLAS Biology All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Malvern High School	Public	9-12	525 E Highland Ave	Malvern	72104	Hot Spring County	Malvern School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 332-6905	575	75	7.6	73.7%	261 (45.4%)	183 (31.8%)	70 (12.2%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	56 (9.7%)	42.7	176^th of 305 public high schools	42.3%		34.5	208^th of 295 public high schools	29.5%	32			28.8	25.0	26.8			29.4	26.9	28.0					12.7	12.7	66.6	6.2	0.0	0.0	16.5				77.0	24.6	0.0	50.0	33.8	$12,553	$779	$11,774
Asu Three Rivers Career Center	Public	9-12	One College Cir	Malvern	72104	Hot Spring County	Asu Three Rivers Career Center	No	No	No	No	(501) 332-3658	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Magnet Cove High School	Public	7-12	472 Magnet School Rd	Malvern	72104	Hot Spring County	Magnet Cove School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 332-5466	311	55	5.6	46.9%	285 (91.6%)	4 (1.3%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.8%)	65	85^th of 305 public high schools	72.1%		69.6	63^rd of 295 public high schools	78.6%	22	26.9	33.9	40.0	34.0	33.8	32.7	28.3	41.8	35.9	34.8	40.4	48.9	44.3		13.2	21.7	76.5	15.0			33.4	25.0	39.6	32.4	43.4	16.7			40.7	$10,645	$449	$10,196
Glen Rose High School	Public	9-12	14334 Hwy 67	Malvern	72104	Hot Spring County	Glen Rose School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 332-3694	301	57	5.2	41.2%	265 (88.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.0%)	42	180^th of 305 public high schools	41.0%		58.5	111^th of 295 public high schools	62.4%	69			17.4	32.5	25.4			27.5	31.2	29.5					11.3	10.0	16.7	6.8	0.0		8.3				44.4	29.9	0.0		32.5	$11,191	$678	$10,513
Poyen High School	Public	7-12	111 N School St	Poyen	72128	Grant County	Poyen School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 332-2939	253	46	5.4	45.5%	237 (93.7%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.2%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)	67.5	73^rd of 305 public high schools	76.1%		68.6	69^th of 295 public high schools	76.6%	4	25.0	21.5	36.9	32.5	29.8	25.0	21.5	41.3	30.0	30.4	52.2	57.2	54.2		47.8	46.8	100.0	4.2	0.0	100.0	11.1	27.3	28.6	27.8	0.0	38.5		0.0	36.6	$9,157	$1,022	$8,134
Ouachita High School	Public	7-12	258 School House Rd	Donaldson	71941	Hot Spring County	Ouachita School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 384-2323	272	32	8.4	48.5%	252 (92.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.6%)	1 (0.4%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.3%)	51	138^th of 305 public high schools	54.8%		49.5	149^th of 295 public high schools	49.5%	11	36.6	29.7	45.9	27.7	34.6	39.1	35.1	40.5	25.5	34.6	41.4	20.9	33.9	8.3	17.2	14.6	14.3	8.7			9.5	31.7	22.2	27.3		23.4	0.0	0.0	22.4	$8,458	$717	$7,742
Lakeside High School	Public	9-12	2871 Malvern Ave	Hot Springs	71901	Garland County	Lakeside School Dist(Garland)	No	No	No	No	(501) 262-1530	1,114	103	10.8	39.7%	790 (70.9%)	87 (7.8%)	148 (13.3%)	21 (1.9%)	5 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	61 (5.5%)	78.3	35^th of 305 public high schools	88.5%		89.9	18^th of 295 public high schools	93.9%	17			45.9	48.5	47.2			43.0	47.9	45.5					16.3	15.9	66.3	11.6			31.7				75.6	35.8			49.8	$9,907	$523	$9,384
Harmony Grove High School	Public	10-12	2621 Hwy 229	Benton	72015	Saline County	Harmony Grove School Dist(Saline)	No	No	No	No	(501) 776-2337	306	51	5.9	26.1%	273 (89.2%)	9 (2.9%)	16 (5.2%)	2 (0.7%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	65.2	84^th of 305 public high schools	72.5%		47.6	156^th of 295 public high schools	47.1%	72				28.4	28.4				29.4	29.4								20.3	0.0	0.0	19.2					50.5	75.0	100.0	52.0	$11,689	$994	$10,695
Cutter-Morning Star High School	Public	7-12	2801 Spring Street	Hot Springs	71901	Garland County	Cutter-Morning Star School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 262-1220	316	40	7.9	69.0%	227 (71.8%)	12 (3.8%)	40 (12.7%)	5 (1.6%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (8.5%)	30.2	233^rd of 305 public high schools	23.6%		28.7	231^st of 295 public high schools	21.7%	2	25.6	24.0	15.4	25.0	22.3	27.9	24.0	13.4	26.9	22.8	25.0	18.7	22.4	21.1	3.0	9.6	22.2	2.6	0.0		8.5	36.3	36.0	36.2	52.6	33.4	0.0		39.0	$9,365	$959	$8,405
Hot Springs World Class High School	Public, Magnet, Charter	10-12	701 Emory St	Hot Springs	71913	Garland County	Hot Springs School District	Yes	Yes	No	No	(501) 624-5286	767	63	12.1	100.0%	246 (32.1%)	255 (33.2%)	181 (23.6%)	6 (0.8%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	75 (9.8%)	47.7	154^th of 305 public high schools	49.5%		31	222^nd of 295 public high schools	24.7%	68				28.1	28.1				29.7	29.7								22.4	3.0	0.0	8.4					26.7	11.8		25.5	$11,660	$1,628	$10,032

Frequently Asked Questions about Malvern High School

Is Malvern High School a good school?

Malvern High School ranks 176^th of 305 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Malvern High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 575 students attended Malvern High School.

What schools feed into Malvern High School?

Malvern High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Malvern Elementary School
Middle : Malvern Middle School
Middle : Wilson Intermediate School

What is the racial makeup of Malvern High School?

Students at Malvern High School are 45% White, 32% African American, 12% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races.

What district is Malvern High School in?

Malvern School District

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ARArkansas High School Rankings

ARArkansas District Rankings

Schools in Malvern, AR

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.