Fort Smith School District

Summary:

The Fort Smith School District in Arkansas serves 27 schools, including 19 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 3 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The district's performance is mixed, with some standout schools like John P. Woods Elementary and Southside High School ranking among the top in the state, while others struggle to meet proficiency standards.

The top-performing schools in the district, such as John P. Woods Elementary, Southside High School, and L.A. Chaffin Middle School, have exceptional proficiency rates in core subjects, well above the district and state averages. In contrast, some schools, such as Sutton Elementary and Tilles Elementary, struggle with significantly lower proficiency rates.

The Fort Smith School District as a whole is ranked 160th out of 252 districts in Arkansas and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger. The district faces challenges, including a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a need to address the impact of poverty on student learning. Identifying and replicating the practices of the top-performing schools could help raise the overall performance of the district and provide more equitable educational opportunities for all students.

District Detail

3205 Jenny Lind Rd
Fort Smith, AR 72901

(479) 785-2501

SchoolDigger Rank:
160^th of 252 Arkansas districts

See the 2024 Arkansas District rankings!

Grades served: PK, KG-12
Students: 14,291

Primary Schools: 19
Middle Schools: 4
High Schools: 3
Alternative Schools: 1

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 3rd Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	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 3rd Grade	ATLAS Reading 4th Grade	ATLAS Reading 5th Grade	ATLAS Reading 6th Grade	ATLAS Reading 7th Grade	ATLAS Reading 8th Grade	ATLAS Reading 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading 10th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 5th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 6th Grade	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 8th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 9th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 10th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 11th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 12th Grade	ATLAS Geometry All Grades	ATLAS Science 3rd Grade	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science 5th Grade	ATLAS Science 6th Grade	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
Beard Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1600 Cavanaugh Rd	Fort Smith	72908	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 646-0834	309	20	15.3	77.3%	156 (50.5%)	23 (7.4%)	50 (16.2%)	20 (6.5%)	5 (1.6%)	3 (1.0%)	52 (16.8%)	45.4	282^nd of 497 public elementary schools	43.3%		54	243^rd of 492 public elementary schools	50.6%	39	44.6	18.3	32.6						31.7	42.5	18.4	34.6						31.7	46.8	26.5	30.6				34.5										36.2	26.5	30.6				31.1						$10,178	$1,867	$8,312
Belle Point Alternative Center	Public	6-12	1501 Dodson Ave	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-7034	65	14	4.5	90.8%	26 (40.0%)	18 (27.7%)	12 (18.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.1%)	7 (10.8%)	8.7	299^th of 305 public high schools	2.0%		4.6	288^th of 295 public high schools	2.4%	11						0.0	8.3	0.0	1.9						0.0	8.3	0.0	1.9							0.0		8.3	7.7			0.0			0.0						0.0	0.0		0.0			0.0	$33,269	$12,350	$20,919
Bonneville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2500 S Waldron Rd	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 478-3161	281	17	16.1	71.5%	119 (42.3%)	40 (14.2%)	68 (24.2%)	11 (3.9%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (13.9%)	64.9	170^th of 497 public elementary schools	65.8%		64.1	173^rd of 492 public elementary schools	64.8%	3	42.1	45.1	39.6						42.4	34.2	47.1	43.8						42.4	29.0	53.0	41.7				42.3										39.5	37.2	33.3				36.5						$9,084	$1,544	$7,541
Carnall Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2524 S Tulsa St	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 646-3612	231	16	14.0	88.3%	99 (42.9%)	23 (10.0%)	57 (24.7%)	3 (1.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (20.8%)	15.7	439^th of 497 public elementary schools	11.7%		19.6	412^th of 492 public elementary schools	16.3%	27	20.0	13.7	11.1						14.8	28.0	24.1	11.1						21.0	8.0	20.6	11.1				13.6										28.0	17.2	11.1				18.5						$13,316	$4,641	$8,675
Cavanaugh Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1025 School St	Fort Smith	72908	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 646-1131	310	19	15.9	66.5%	168 (54.2%)	28 (9.0%)	52 (16.8%)	16 (5.2%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (13.5%)	67.8	151^st of 497 public elementary schools	69.6%		62.6	191^st of 492 public elementary schools	61.2%	40	50.0	31.3	46.1						42.2	48.9	33.3	41.0						41.1	49.0	52.1	45.0				48.9										47.0	35.4	30.8				38.3						$9,412	$1,963	$7,449
L. A. Chaffin Middle School	Public	6-8	3025 Massard Rd	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 452-2226	725	52	13.8	53.7%	387 (53.4%)	26 (3.6%)	138 (19.0%)	59 (8.1%)	12 (1.7%)	2 (0.3%)	101 (13.9%)	91	17^th of 335 public middle schools	94.9%		91.5	11^th of 330 public middle schools	96.7%	6				49.7	51.5	57.6			53.0				47.5	51.7	56.8			52.1				54.8	61.9	44.3	54.9	76.3		76.3	100.0					100.0				45.7	54.8	59.8	53.6						$10,044	$1,432	$8,612
Elmer H. Cook Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3517 Brooken Hill Dr	Fort Smith	72908	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 646-8880	500	26	19.6	56.4%	296 (59.2%)	43 (8.6%)	57 (11.4%)	24 (4.8%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	77 (15.4%)	82.1	65^th of 497 public elementary schools	86.9%		78.4	87^th of 492 public elementary schools	82.3%	22	58.7	46.9	48.2						51.4	56.0	45.3	48.2						50.0	64.0	41.5	54.3				53.8										49.4	38.5	46.9				45.2						$8,888	$1,496	$7,392
William O. Darby Middle School	Public	6-8	616 N 14th St	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-4159	700	48	14.6	86.7%	193 (27.6%)	89 (12.7%)	351 (50.1%)	12 (1.7%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	50 (7.1%)	31.1	242^nd of 335 public middle schools	27.8%		23	275^th of 330 public middle schools	16.7%	33				24.6	27.5	20.6			24.3				25.5	28.5	22.2			25.4				29.0	27.9	8.0	22.9	42.2		43.0										26.3	26.1	20.2	24.2						$12,760	$2,373	$10,387
Fairview Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2400 S Dallas	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-3214	458	23	19.8	77.3%	217 (47.4%)	38 (8.3%)	125 (27.3%)	4 (0.9%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (15.5%)	52.7	237^th of 497 public elementary schools	52.3%		56.9	223^rd of 492 public elementary schools	54.7%	14	31.6	40.2	44.4						39.0	30.2	42.7	41.9						38.5	32.9	40.9	19.7				31.3										30.3	38.5	29.6				33.0						$10,004	$1,894	$8,110
Howard Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1301 N 8th St	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-7382	263	16	16.7	92.0%	35 (13.3%)	38 (14.4%)	154 (58.6%)	4 (1.5%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (11.0%)	32.7	362^nd of 497 public elementary schools	27.2%		29.9	370^th of 492 public elementary schools	24.8%	8	17.6	39.0	14.8						25.5	17.7	41.5	25.9						29.4	35.3	36.6	14.8				30.4										14.7	26.9	11.1				18.6						$10,208	$2,207	$8,002
Dora Kimmons Middle School	Public	6-8	2201 N 50th St	Fort Smith	72904	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 785-2451	841	56	15.1	91.2%	112 (13.3%)	133 (15.8%)	496 (59.0%)	55 (6.5%)	9 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (4.3%)	23.9	278^th of 335 public middle schools	17.0%		20.4	279^th of 330 public middle schools	15.5%	1				18.2	19.6	23.5			20.6				17.8	18.6	22.9			19.9				13.5	28.4	18.1	20.0	52.8		52.8										17.0	22.1	25.5	21.8						$10,718	$1,945	$8,773
Northside High School	Public	9-12	2301 North B St	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-1171	2,433	201	12.1	73.7%	525 (21.6%)	353 (14.5%)	1,257 (51.7%)	111 (4.6%)	15 (0.6%)	4 (0.2%)	168 (6.9%)	30.8	231^st of 305 public high schools	24.3%		25.6	240^th of 295 public high schools	18.6%	9							22.7	21.4	22.0							24.0	21.8	22.9									9.7	9.8		32.6	5.6	10.6	0.0	11.9								61.9	17.6	14.3	50.0	26.1	$11,279	$1,911	$9,368
Raymond F. Orr Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3609 Phoenix St	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 646-3711	306	18	17.2	77.1%	160 (52.3%)	29 (9.5%)	42 (13.7%)	16 (5.2%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (17.6%)	59.7	208^th of 497 public elementary schools	58.1%		38.9	338^th of 492 public elementary schools	31.3%	130	48.9	33.3	40.9						41.0	48.9	31.1	43.2						41.1	37.8	20.0	47.7				35.0										53.3	24.4	34.0				37.3						$10,963	$3,215	$7,747
Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4111 Park Ave	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-4506	356	19	19.1	89.9%	84 (23.6%)	55 (15.4%)	177 (49.7%)	6 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	33 (9.3%)	18	432^nd of 497 public elementary schools	13.1%		15.7	426^th of 492 public elementary schools	13.4%	6	10.0	29.1	25.0						20.5	8.5	27.3	21.5						18.2	18.5	27.2	8.9				18.3										14.3	18.2	17.9				16.6						$10,109	$2,156	$7,953
Ramsey Middle School	Public	6-8	3201 Jenny Lind Rd	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-5115	832	61	13.5	67.2%	434 (52.2%)	99 (11.9%)	152 (18.3%)	34 (4.1%)	12 (1.4%)	2 (0.2%)	99 (11.9%)	59.6	107^th of 335 public middle schools	68.1%		65.1	108^th of 330 public middle schools	67.3%	1				36.8	31.1	36.0			34.5				38.1	32.8	35.3			35.3				37.7	38.7	28.1	35.5	51.3		51.3	100.0					100.0				32.8	37.1	42.4	37.5						$10,610	$1,885	$8,724
Southside High School	Public	9-12	4100 Gary St	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 646-7371	1,956	186	10.5	47.4%	1,113 (56.9%)	106 (5.4%)	362 (18.5%)	160 (8.2%)	21 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	194 (9.9%)	68	71^st of 305 public high schools	76.7%		83.5	31^st of 295 public high schools	89.5%	40							36.7	40.4	38.6							36.4	38.7	37.7									20.6	21.1		38.4	11.9	6.3	0.0	18.8								64.6	37.6	15.4	66.6	43.1	$12,274	$1,591	$10,683
Spradling Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4949 Spradling Ave	Fort Smith	72904	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-8048	319	15	20.7	94.0%	59 (18.5%)	30 (9.4%)	196 (61.4%)	15 (4.7%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.3%)	30.7	373^rd of 497 public elementary schools	24.9%		28.8	375^th of 492 public elementary schools	23.8%	2	26.7	32.1	26.2						28.6	26.7	29.7	30.9						29.1	33.3	22.2	26.2				26.9										11.1	22.3	21.5				18.5						$9,942	$2,090	$7,853
Sunnymede Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4201 North O St	Fort Smith	72904	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-6327	468	23	20.2	92.9%	57 (12.2%)	50 (10.7%)	312 (66.7%)	17 (3.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.4%)	22	412^th of 497 public elementary schools	17.1%		19.7	410^th of 492 public elementary schools	16.7%	2	30.4	13.7	16.5						19.9	31.6	13.7	20.0						21.4	36.7	11.3	28.3				25.0										25.3	14.7	9.4				16.3						$8,777	$1,540	$7,237
Sutton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5001 Kelley Hwy	Fort Smith	72904	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 785-1778	470	29	16.3	91.5%	87 (18.5%)	59 (12.6%)	237 (50.4%)	33 (7.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (11.5%)	13.7	451^st of 497 public elementary schools	9.3%		11.8	447^th of 492 public elementary schools	9.1%	4	19.7	17.0	23.7						20.0	18.4	18.7	23.7						20.0	10.5	10.2	7.3				9.5										15.8	13.6	16.3				15.2						$10,524	$2,397	$8,126
Trusty Elementary School	Public	K-5	3300 Harris Ave	Fort Smith	72904	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-7720	264	15	18.1	94.3%	38 (14.4%)	45 (17.0%)	150 (56.8%)	7 (2.7%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (8.0%)	17.1	434^th of 497 public elementary schools	12.7%		20.5	408^th of 492 public elementary schools	17.1%	26	11.7	21.4	20.0						17.2	11.7	21.4	24.0						18.3	8.8	25.0	24.0				18.3										17.6	28.6	8.0				18.4						$9,238	$1,508	$7,730
John P. Woods Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3201 Massard Rd	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 452-5808	487	26	18.6	43.3%	271 (55.6%)	21 (4.3%)	79 (16.2%)	54 (11.1%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	56 (11.5%)	92.5	25^th of 497 public elementary schools	95.0%		90.5	28^th of 492 public elementary schools	94.3%	3	56.1	57.8	68.3						61.0	53.4	57.8	62.2						58.0	54.8	53.0	70.8				59.7										56.1	55.4	59.7				57.1						$8,250	$1,387	$6,863
Tilles Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	815 N 16th St	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 785-5606	300	15	20.3	92.0%	90 (30.0%)	32 (10.7%)	150 (50.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (8.7%)	8.8	475^th of 497 public elementary schools	4.4%		15	430^th of 492 public elementary schools	12.6%	45	12.8	12.7	14.5						13.4	14.9	12.7	16.3						14.7	14.9	7.3	10.9				10.8										17.0	9.1	9.1				11.4						$11,354	$3,354	$8,000
Euper Lane Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6601 Euper Ln	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 452-2601	389	23	16.5	58.4%	201 (51.7%)	31 (8.0%)	72 (18.5%)	17 (4.4%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	65 (16.7%)	81.3	71^st of 497 public elementary schools	85.7%		84.3	54^th of 492 public elementary schools	89.0%	17	50.0	49.1	57.4						52.3	50.0	54.5	57.4						54.1	39.6	49.1	59.3				49.7										43.8	45.4	38.9				42.6						$10,632	$3,542	$7,090
Ballman Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2601 South Q St	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-1280	344	20	17.5	69.8%	180 (52.3%)	21 (6.1%)	68 (19.8%)	6 (1.7%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (18.9%)	61.2	200^th of 497 public elementary schools	59.8%		63.1	185^th of 492 public elementary schools	62.4%	15	41.7	35.5	39.7						39.0	42.9	31.1	41.5						38.8	36.7	33.3	47.1				39.5										34.7	40.0	41.5				38.7						$11,103	$2,342	$8,761
Barling Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1400 D St	Barling	72923	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 452-0211	330	19	17.4	75.5%	199 (60.3%)	4 (1.2%)	65 (19.7%)	16 (4.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (13.6%)	47.8	269^th of 497 public elementary schools	45.9%		51.7	259^th of 492 public elementary schools	47.4%	10	31.3	26.7	50.0						36.9	31.3	26.7	48.2						36.2	29.2	26.7	41.1				32.9										29.2	17.8	33.9				27.5						$10,375	$1,952	$8,422
Fort Smith Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	5900 Painter Lane	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(844) 989-3399	79	9	8.7	79.7%	34 (43.0%)	9 (11.4%)	12 (15.2%)	4 (5.1%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (24.1%)								(n/a)				27.8		25.0	20.0	10.6	25.6				27.8		29.2	20.0	10.6	26.7				5.6		20.8	16.4					0.0	0.0	0.0		0.0				11.1		33.3	26.3	100.0	5.9			15.8
Harry C. Morrison Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3415 Newlon Rd	Fort Smith	72904	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 782-7045	275	17	15.9	90.9%	47 (17.1%)	31 (11.3%)	161 (58.5%)	15 (5.5%)	5 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.8%)	15.1	444^th of 497 public elementary schools	10.7%		30.9	362^nd of 492 public elementary schools	26.4%	82	26.5	22.0	12.5						20.0	24.5	24.0	10.7						19.3	16.3	12.0	12.5				13.5										20.4	16.0	7.2				14.2						$10,456	$2,603	$7,852

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Premier High Schools Of Arkansas	0.69 mi	4	238^th
Future School Of Fort Smith	1.89 mi	1	199^th
Westark Technical Center	1.98 mi	1
Haas Hall Academy	6 mi	5	1^st
Van Buren School District	6.02 mi	11	103^rd

Fort Smith School District

District Detail

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