Is Mills University Studies High School a good school?

Mills University Studies High School ranks in the bottom 9.8% of Arkansas high schools.

How many students attend Mills University Studies High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 640 students attended Mills University Studies High School.

What is the racial makeup of Mills University Studies High School?

Students at Mills University Studies High School are 60% African American, 21% Hispanic, 15% White, 3% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Mills University Studies High School?

Mills University Studies High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : College Station Elementary School Elementary : Daisy Bates Elementary School Elementary : Harris Elementary School Elementary : Landmark Elementary School Middle : Mills Middle School

Mills University Studies High School

Summary:

Mills University Studies High School is a public high school located in Little Rock, Arkansas, serving grades 8-12 with a total enrollment of 640 students. The school is part of the Pulaski County Special School District, which is ranked 173 out of 252 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio compared to nearby schools like North Little Rock High School and Central High School, Mills University Studies High School consistently performs below the state and district averages in standardized test scores across all subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 12% of students were proficient or better in ATLAS/English Language Arts, compared to 33.8% at the state level and 28.7% in the Pulaski County Special School District. The school also has an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 94.19% to 99.84% over the past three school years, significantly higher than the state and district averages.

Despite the higher per-student spending at Mills University Studies High School compared to nearby schools, the school's academic performance remains significantly lower. This suggests that simply increasing funding is not a sufficient solution, and that other factors, such as instructional practices, school leadership, and student support services, may play a more critical role in improving student outcomes. The school's consistent low performance, ranking in the bottom quarter of Arkansas high schools over the past 10 school years, indicates the need for a comprehensive approach to address the unique challenges faced by the school and its student population.

Detail:

Public 8-12

1205 E Dixon Rd
Little Rock, AR 72206

(501) 490-5700

District: Pulaski County Special School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
275^th of 305 Arkansas High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,330

Feeder schools for Mills University Studies High School:

Elementary:	College Station Elementary School
	Daisy Bates Elementary School
	Harris Elementary School
	Landmark Elementary School
Middle:	Mills Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.6

Number of students: 640

Racial breakdown:

African American:

60.2%

Hispanic:

20.8%

White:

15.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.2%

See top rated Arkansas high schools

Compare Mills University Studies High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Mills University Studies High School ranks worse than 90.2% of high schools in Arkansas. It also ranks last among 4 ranked high schools in the Pulaski County Special School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.23. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Mills University Studies High School has the smallest high school student body size in the Pulaski County Special School District. Student population at Mills University Studies High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (60.2%), Hispanic (20.8%), White (15.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Pulaski County Special School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mills University Studies High School is 10.6, which is the lowest among 4 high schools in the Pulaski County Special School District! (See more...)

Compare Mills University Studies High School employs 60 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mills University Studies High School is $14,330, which is the highest among 4 high schools in the Pulaski County Special School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Mills University Studies High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Mills University Studies High School 275^th of 305 Arkansas public high schools. (See Mills University Studies High School in the ranking list.)

Pulaski County Special School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Pulaski County Special School District 173^rd of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Mills University Studies High School.

What do you think?

Your rating for Mills University Studies High School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Mills University Studies High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AR State Percentile
2006	25.77	183^rd	232	21.1%
2007	13.12	231^st	258	10.5%
2008	11.35	231^st	256	9.8%
2009	12.23	238^th	261	8.8%
2010	16.75	232^nd	262	11.5%
2011	14.68	240^th	266	9.8%
2012	14.53	240^th	266	9.8%
2013	9.97	253^rd	271	6.6%
2014	14.42	244^th	268	9.0%
2015	23.81	226^th	267	15.4%
2016	15.36	247^th	269	8.2%
2017	12.00	241^st	264	8.7%
2018	8.64	245^th	263	6.8%
2019	11.39	263^rd	282	6.7%
2021	11.12	265^th	290	8.6%
2022	11.71	262^nd	282	7.1%
2023	20.48	253^rd	295	14.2%
2024	16.23	275^th	305	9.8%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a citizen
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

my brother goes there and they really help him in his class. my sister graduated from there and she said that i got out of high school.. she went to college and worked as a RNA Close Quote

Enrollment information for Mills University Studies High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	508	469	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	983
1989	459	322	2	2	n/a	n/a	n/a	785
1990	397	309	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	710
1991	383	300	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	685
1992	344	291	3	0	1	n/a	n/a	639
1993	344	280	5	0	1	n/a	n/a	630
1994	289	276	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	571
1995	383	359	7	3	0	n/a	n/a	752
1996	383	359	7	3	0	n/a	n/a	752
1997	425	400	8	3	0	n/a	n/a	836
1998	391	366	5	3	1	n/a	n/a	766
1999	395	321	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	716
2000	383	255	5	6	0	n/a	n/a	649
2001	305	216	12	22	36	n/a	n/a	591
2002	447	467	8	4	2	n/a	n/a	928
2003	447	467	8	4	2	n/a	n/a	928
2004	424	518	10	2	3	n/a	n/a	957
2005	401	528	12	9	1	n/a	n/a	951
2006	395	554	12	10	1	n/a	n/a	972
2007	373	624	18	24	0	n/a	n/a	1039
2008	333	595	21	19	0	n/a	n/a	968
2009	285	584	21	26	0	n/a	n/a	916
2010	275	483	14	34	0	0	0	806
2011	279	450	15	36	0	0	0	780
2012	253	446	15	44	0	0	1	759
2013	232	453	14	46	1	0	1	747
2014	209	445	9	47	2	0	1	713
2015	180	421	4	62	1	0	8	676
2016	168	393	5	65	4	0	8	643
2017	153	384	6	60	1	0	9	613
2018	139	373	4	70	6	0	7	599
2019	129	370	3	85	6	0	5	598
2020	114	387	4	103	6	0	9	623
2021	110	374	3	104	5	0	13	609
2022	102	340	3	108	3	0	12	568
2023	99	385	1	133	1	0	21	640

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 Mills University Studies High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	983	53.8	18.2	n/a
1989	785	49.0	16.0	n/a
1990	710	47.0	15.1	0
1991	685	45.2	15.1	0
1992	639	44.4	14.3	n/a
1993	630	43.7	14.4	0
1994	571	40.9	14.0	20
1995	752	54.9	13.7	29.5
1996	752	54.9	13.7	29.5
1997	836	58.5	14.3	22.4
1998	766	58.5	13.1	33.9
1999	716	42.9	16.7	51
2000	649	59.0	11.0	48.7
2001	591	50.0	11.8	29.8
2002	928	65.0	14.3	39.2
2003	928	65.0	14.3	39.2
2004	957	65.0	14.7	37.7
2005	951	69.0	13.8	43.6
2006	972	66.0	14.7	45.9
2007	1039	75.0	13.9	45.6
2008	968	79.0	12.3	48.8
2009	916	80.0	11.5	48.6
2010	806	80.7	10.2	53.6
2011	780	67.4	11.5	52.3
2012	759	60.3	12.5	55.7
2013	747	59.0	12.6	52.1
2014	713	59.5	11.9	49.1
2015	676	60.0	11.2	57.4
2016	643	64.0	10.0	62.4
2017	613	59.8	10.2	31.2
2018	599	53.1	11.2	28.2
2019	598	49.1	12.1	68.4
2020	623	58.2	10.6	58.3
2021	609	58.8	10.3	99.8
2022	568	58.8	9.6	94.2
2023	640	60.0	10.6	99.2

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 Mills University Studies High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	983	53.8	18.2	n/a
1989	785	49.0	16.0	n/a
1990	710	47.0	15.1	0
1991	685	45.2	15.1	0
1992	639	44.4	14.3	n/a
1993	630	43.7	14.4	0
1994	571	40.9	14.0	20
1995	752	54.9	13.7	29.5
1996	752	54.9	13.7	29.5
1997	836	58.5	14.3	22.4
1998	766	58.5	13.1	33.9
1999	716	42.9	16.7	51
2000	649	59.0	11.0	48.7
2001	591	50.0	11.8	29.8
2002	928	65.0	14.3	39.2
2003	928	65.0	14.3	39.2
2004	957	65.0	14.7	37.7
2005	951	69.0	13.8	43.6
2006	972	66.0	14.7	45.9
2007	1039	75.0	13.9	45.6
2008	968	79.0	12.3	48.8
2009	916	80.0	11.5	48.6
2010	806	80.7	10.2	53.6
2011	780	67.4	11.5	52.3
2012	759	60.3	12.5	55.7
2013	747	59.0	12.6	52.1
2014	713	59.5	11.9	49.1
2015	676	60.0	11.2	57.4
2016	643	64.0	10.0	62.4
2017	613	59.8	10.2	31.2
2018	599	53.1	11.2	28.2
2019	598	49.1	12.1	68.4
2020	623	58.2	10.6	58.3
2021	609	58.8	10.3	99.8
2022	568	58.8	9.6	94.2
2023	640	60.0	10.6	99.2

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 Mills University Studies High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,191 (15.3%)	$12,139 (84.7%)	$14,330

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mills University Studies 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 263^rd of 282 High schools	Ranks 253^rd of 295 High schools	7.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English (Mills University Studies High School)	31.6	35.4	3.8%
9th Grade English (Pulaski County Special School District)	49.2	47	2.2%
9th Grade English (Arkansas)	58.6	53.4	5.2%
9th Grade Math (Mills University Studies High School)	13.2	15.1	1.9%
9th Grade Math (Pulaski County Special School District)	23.7	20.2	3.5%
9th Grade Math (Arkansas)	35.8	26.6	9.2%
9th Grade Science (Mills University Studies High School)	13.6	15	1.4%
9th Grade Science (Pulaski County Special School District)	26.2	20.5	5.7%
9th Grade Science (Arkansas)	35	31.9	3.1%
9th Grade Reading (Mills University Studies High School)	17.2	26.1	8.9%
9th Grade Reading (Pulaski County Special School District)	30.8	36	5.2%
9th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	37.4	40.6	3.2%
10th Grade English (Mills University Studies High School)	43.5	37.8	5.7%
10th Grade English (Pulaski County Special School District)	56.9	49.9	7%
10th Grade English (Arkansas)	59.6	54.4	5.2%
10th Grade Math (Mills University Studies High School)	10.6	7	3.6%
10th Grade Math (Pulaski County Special School District)	23.6	14.8	8.8%
10th Grade Math (Arkansas)	29.2	20.4	8.8%
10th Grade Science (Mills University Studies High School)	11.9	12	0.1%
10th Grade Science (Pulaski County Special School District)	25.9	19.1	6.8%
10th Grade Science (Arkansas)	33	28.6	4.4%
10th Grade Reading (Mills University Studies High School)	18.4	26.7	8.3%
10th Grade Reading (Pulaski County Special School District)	29.2	33.2	4%
10th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	32.2	35.9	3.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Mills University Studies High School)	5.7	2.8	2.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Pulaski County Special School District)	12.3	17	4.7%
11th Grade English (Mills University Studies High School)	16.4	21.3	4.9%
11th Grade English (Pulaski County Special School District)	37.1	41.8	4.7%
11th Grade Reading (Mills University Studies High School)	9.8	11.1	1.3%
11th Grade Reading (Pulaski County Special School District)	23	27.9	4.9%
11th Grade Science (Mills University Studies High School)	7.4	2.8	4.6%
11th Grade Science (Pulaski County Special School District)	15.4	19.2	3.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	598	640	7%
African American	370	385	4.1%
American Indian	6	1	83.3%
Asian	3	1	66.7%
Hispanic	85	133	56.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	129	99	23.3%
Two or More Races	5	21	320%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	68.4%	99.2%	30.8%

Schools Near Mills University Studies 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 8th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 9th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 10th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 8th Grade	ATLAS Reading 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading 10th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 8th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	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 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
Mills University Studies High School	Public	8-12	1205 E Dixon Rd	Little Rock	72206	Pulaski County	Pulaski County Special School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 490-5700	640	60	10.6	99.2%	99 (15.5%)	385 (60.2%)	133 (20.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.3%)	16.2	275^th of 305 public high schools	9.8%		20.5	253^rd of 295 public high schools	14.2%	22		8.8	16.0	12.0		11.6	17.4	14.1			3.1	3.1	20.0	2.0	1.5	25.0	3.2			23.6	15.3	50.0		19.3	$14,330	$2,191	$12,139
Metropolitan Career & Technical Center	Public	9-12	7701 Scott Hamilton Dr	Little Rock	72209	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 447-1200	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Graduate Arkansas Charter High	Public, Charter	9-12	6900 Scott Hamilton Rd	Little Rock	72209	Pulaski County	Graduate Arkansas Charter	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 618-2500	381	6	64.5	98.7%	135 (35.4%)	168 (44.1%)	45 (11.8%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.3%)	5 (1.3%)	22 (5.8%)	10.7	293^rd of 305 public high schools	3.9%		5.8	284^th of 295 public high schools	3.7%	9		5.1	8.6	6.9		11.1	10.9	11.0			2.5	4.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0			14.3	3.7	16.7	14.3	9.4	$11,070	$1,528	$9,542
Premier High School Of Little Rock	Public, Charter	9-12	1621 Dr Martin Luther King Dr	Little Rock	72206	Pulaski County	Premier High Schools Of Arkansas	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 400-4873	82	12	6.8	100.0%	1 (1.2%)	80 (97.6%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4.8	305^th of 305 public high schools	0.0%		2.5	292^nd of 295 public high schools	1.0%	13		0.0	0.0	0.0		0.0	5.0	2.6						0.0	0.0		0.0			0.0	16.7			10.0	$9,696	$1,389	$8,307
Premier High School Online	Public, Charter	9-12	1621 Dr Martin Luther King Dr	Little Rock	72202	Pulaski County	Premier High Schools Of Arkansas	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(501) 246-3161	125	5	26.5	33.6%	32 (25.6%)	79 (63.2%)	5 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (5.6%)	23.7	253^rd of 305 public high schools	17.0%					(n/a)		16.3	9.9	13.2		20.8	11.3	16.3			25.6	24.0	0.0	8.3	0.0	0.0	4.7			11.1	20.0	100.0	0.0	18.2
Arkansas Consolidated High School-Alexander	Public	6-12	700 S Main St	Little Rock	72203	Pulaski County	Division Of Youth Services School System	No	No	No	No	(501) 682-1711	104	13	8.1	97.1%	52 (50.0%)	49 (47.1%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	1 (1.0%)	5.5	303^rd of 305 public high schools	0.7%		2.4	293^rd of 295 public high schools	0.7%	10	0.0	4.1	0.0	1.9	3.8	5.0	0.0	3.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0			0.0
Central High School	Public	8-12	1500 Park St	Little Rock	72202	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 447-1400	2,338	162	14.4	53.3%	672 (28.7%)	1,192 (51.0%)	209 (8.9%)	227 (9.7%)	19 (0.8%)	4 (0.2%)	15 (0.6%)	52.9	129^th of 305 public high schools	57.7%		64.2	92^nd of 295 public high schools	68.8%	37		33.8	36.0	34.9		33.8	35.8	34.8			5.0	5.1	38.4	5.7	10.0		15.2			56.4	21.9	57.2	0.0	34.3	$11,007	$1,357	$9,650
Estem High School	Public, Charter	10-12	112 W Third St 3rd Flr	Little Rock	72201	Pulaski County	Estem Public Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 374-7836	528	35	14.9	58.0%	111 (21.0%)	329 (62.3%)	45 (8.5%)	9 (1.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.1%)	60.5	102^nd of 305 public high schools	66.6%		47.3	158^th of 295 public high schools	46.4%	56			35.1	35.1			37.1	37.1						12.9	0.0		12.8				13.1	66.7	100.0	16.9	$10,330	$817	$9,513
Ark. School For The Blind High School	Public	7-12	2600 W Markham St	Little Rock	72203	Pulaski County	Ark. School For The Blind	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 296-1810	35	16	2.1	100.0%	22 (62.9%)	7 (20.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (11.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (5.7%)	77.1	38^th of 305 public high schools	87.5%					(n/a)				21.1				25.0					0.0				0.0		27.3		66.6			66.6
North Little Rock High School	Public	9-12	101 W 2nd St	North Little Rock	72114	Pulaski County	North Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 771-8100	1,949	150	12.9	99.9%	529 (27.1%)	1,101 (56.5%)	231 (11.9%)	20 (1.0%)	7 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	59 (3.0%)	18.9	267^th of 305 public high schools	12.5%		31.8	218^th of 295 public high schools	26.1%	49		11.4	22.2	16.7		13.0	23.4	18.1			2.6	2.4	2.9	1.5	0.0	0.0	1.4			36.7	11.2	0.0	20.0	14.8	$12,319	$2,249	$10,070

Mills University Studies High School

Pulaski County Special School District:

Average Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Mills University Studies High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Mills University Studies High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Mills University Studies High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Mills University Studies High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Mills University Studies High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Mills University Studies High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Mills University Studies High School