PEA RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL IS ONE OF THE BEST

Pea Ridge High School has been recognized in Newsweek/The Daily Beast top 2000 High Schools across the country as one of America’s best high schools. With approximately 30,000 high schools in America (public and private), PRHS is in the top 6 percent, according to Rick Neal, school superintendent.

In 2005, there were 39 students in Advanced Placement classes, and 62 exams proctored with 14 qualifiers.

In the last seven years, the AP program has grown to 190 students taking 301 exams with from 90 to 100 qualifiers estimated.

This is approximately 500 percent increase in takers and exams, and estimated 700 percent increase in qualifiers.

“I wanted to applaud the hard work and dedication of the Pea RIdge High School staff by acknowledging why they are successful,” Neal said, adding:

◊Pea Ridge High School offers more AP courses and has more students enrolled in AP courses than any other school district our size in the state of Arkansas.

◊Pea Ridge High School has over 25 highly trained AP and Pre-AP teachers through AAIMS, APSI and Laying the Foundations.

◊Pea Ridge High School will be prepared for Common Core because it has practiced rigor and relevance for the last five years.

Middle School Recognition

Every fall, the Office for Education Policy (OEP) at the University of Arkansas creates a report titled the “Outstanding Educational Performance Awards” highlighting the highest-achieving schools in Arkansas based on Benchmark and End-of-Course exam performance. Pea Ridge Middle School won the Most Improved Middle School in Math award in the 2012 OEP Awards. Pea Ridge Middle School was recognized at an awards ceremony May 15 in Little Rock.

“We have changed the culture over the last several years and it has impacted all of our students as rigor trickles down to Pre-AP as well as regular education,” Neal said. “This culture change wasn’t created overnight or by one person. It takes several incredible people to create a great team and a great school.

We have challenges ahead with Common Core, teacher evaluations and PARRC assessments, and we plan on meeting those challenges with the great teaching of our great teachers leading the way.”