Of Arkansas’s 211 middle schools, Little Rock’s seven rank second through eighth in the state’s top ten in per pupil district expenditure.

Highest District Expenditure 

Anna Strong Middle School (Lee County) – $13,685
Mann Magnet Middle School (Little Rock) – $12,851
Dunbar Magnet Middle School (Little Rock) – $12,851
Forest Heights Middle School (Little Rock) – $12,851
Pulaski Heights Middle School (Little Rock) – $12,851
Henderson Magnet Middle School (Little Rock) – $12,851
Mabelvale Middle School (Little Rock) – $12,851
Cloverdale Aerospace Tech Charter Middle School (Little Rock) – $12,851
Hot Springs Middle School (Hot Springs) – $12,838
Hot Springs Intermediate School (Hot Springs) – $12,838

Of that top ten, all are part of traditional districts, and:

• Six are at least Needs Improvement: Year 7 for Annual Yearly Progress
• Six are State Directed
• Two are Schools Meeting or Exceeding Standards for Gains, 
• Six are Schools Meeting Standards for Status,
• Four are Schools Exceeding Standards for Status, and
• None are Schools of Excellence for Status (state’s highest performance designation)

The drop-off in spending between the top and bottom tens are dramatic, a separation of $5,357 per pupil. A whopping $7,718 separates Nos. 1 and 211. That gap alone alone would rank above 79 middle schools or 37% of the state’s total.

Lowest District Expenditure

Benton County School of Arts (Charter) – $5,967
Lisa Academy North (Charter) – $6,347
Jacksonville Lighthouse (Charter) – $6,742
Arkansas Virtual Academy Jr. (Charter) – $6,946
Brookland Middle School – $7,330
ESTEM Middle School (Charter) – $7,379
Bethel Middle School (Bryant) – $7,401
Bryant Middle School (Bryant) – $7,401
Elkins Middle School (Elkins) – $7,470
Lisa Academy (Charter) – $7,481

Of that bottom ten, six are charters, and:

• Two are at least Needs Improvement: Year 3 for Annual Yearly Progress
• None are State Directed,
• Seven are Schools Meeting or Exceeding Standards for Gains,
• None are Schools Meeting Standards or below for Status,
• Seven are Schools Exceeding Standards for Status, and
• Three are Schools of Excellence for Status (state’s highest performance designation)

If money were the answer, these top and bottom ten results would be reversed. But in these cases, you get what you don’t pay for, and pay for what you don’t get.

We’ve made the investment. It’s time we received the return.