Our school is proud to be recognized as an Arkansas Gem School for the 2025-2026 school year,
an honor awarded by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) to schools demonstrating
exceptional achievement, strong academic growth, and sustained improvement for students.
This year, ADE released the official 2025–2026 school and district letter grades, along with the
first‐ever Arkansas Gem School awards. Through this program, the state is awarding $7 million to
schools that are leading the way in student performance. Gem Schools are identified for excellence
in one or more areas, including:
● Exceptional Achievement: high levels of student performance
● Strong Academic Growth: students making significant year‐over‐year gains
● Sustained Improvement: consistent progress over multiple years
● Combined Excellence: strength across several measures of school success
The full list of Arkansas Gem Schools can be found here.
Why This Matters for Families:
Three years ago, Arkansas launched a redesigned accountability system that clearly defines the
bar for academic excellence and elevates the state’s focus on Achievement, Growth, and
Readiness. The new system, paired with the implementation of the LEARNS Act, are helping
ensure every student is prepared for what comes next – whether that’s enlistment, enrollment, or
employment.
This year’s letter grades affirm what ATLAS assessment data showed earlier: LEARNS is working,
and student outcomes across Arkansas are rising.