Ward Central Elementary

Q: Is Ward Central Elementary a good school?

Ward Central Elementary ranks 103 rd of 497 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Ward Central Elementary is a public elementary school serving 494 students in grades PK-5 in the Cabot School District in Arkansas. The school has consistently ranked in the top 25% of Arkansas elementary schools over the past several years, with a current statewide ranking of 103 out of 497 schools and a 4 out of 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Ward Central Elementary outperforms the state and district averages in academic proficiency across multiple subjects and grade levels. In 2023-2024, the school had 44.9% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and Reading, compared to 33.8% and 34.1% for the state, respectively. In Mathematics, the school had 60.4% proficiency, significantly higher than the state's 36.4%. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 15.2, compared to the district average of 16.6 and the state's average of 17.2. However, the school serves a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 61.54%, compared to the district average of 35.51% and the state's average of 53.5%.

When compared to other elementary schools in the Cabot School District, Ward Central Elementary generally outperforms its peers in academic proficiency, particularly in Mathematics. For example, in 2023-2024, Ward Central had 60.4% proficiency in Mathematics, compared to 46.8% at Southside Elementary, 47.4% at Mountain Springs Elementary, and 42.2% at Eastside Elementary.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1570 Wilson Loop
Ward, AR 72176

(501) 843-9601

District: Cabot School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
103^rd of 497 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,713

Students who attend Ward Central Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Cabot Junior High North
	Cabot Middle School North
High:	Cabot High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.6

Number of students: 521

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.4%

Two or more races:

10.6%

Hispanic:

6.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 59.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Ward Central Elementary ranks better than 79.3% of elementary schools in Arkansas. It also ranks 4^th among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Cabot School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 76.32. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (80.4%), two or more races (10.6%), Hispanic (6.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 59.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ward Central Elementary is 14.6. 4 elementary schools in the Cabot School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Ward Central Elementary employs 35.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ward Central Elementary is $9,713. 4 elementary schools in the Cabot School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Ward Central Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Cabot School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Cabot School District 50^th of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Ward Central Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AR State Percentile
2005	48.15	247^th	411	39.9%
2006	55.14	209^th	402	48.0%
2007	55.23	220^th	440	50.0%
2008	48.53	272^nd	439	38.0%
2009	54.85	237^th	445	46.7%
2010	48.36	290^th	457	36.5%
2011	62.41	201^st	471	57.3%
2012	70.17	126^th	468	73.1%
2013	57.13	237^th	476	50.2%
2014	59.42	203^rd	471	56.9%
2015	50.21	215^th	466	53.9%
2016	55.01	223^rd	494	54.9%
2017	40.62	313^th	485	35.5%
2018	50.12	254^th	480	47.1%
2019	73.73	112^th	488	77.0%
2021	66.81	164^th	496	66.9%
2022	79.89	84^th	487	82.8%
2023	83.05	61^st	492	87.6%
2024	76.32	103^rd	497	79.3%

See the entire list of Arkansas Elementary 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

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Enrollment information for Ward Central Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1995	298	1	1	3	2	n/a	n/a	305
1996	298	1	1	3	2	n/a	n/a	305
1997	297	0	2	0	2	n/a	n/a	301
1998	316	0	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	318
1999	354	1	3	1	4	n/a	n/a	363
2000	374	1	2	1	3	n/a	n/a	381
2001	376	1	2	1	3	n/a	n/a	383
2002	460	3	3	5	7	n/a	n/a	478
2003	460	3	3	5	7	n/a	n/a	478
2004	435	2	3	14	8	n/a	n/a	462
2005	514	6	2	10	3	n/a	n/a	535
2006	569	5	3	13	3	n/a	n/a	593
2007	581	5	1	11	3	n/a	n/a	601
2008	525	9	6	14	4	n/a	n/a	558
2009	585	7	8	17	1	n/a	n/a	618
2010	631	12	8	23	8	0	0	682
2011	583	16	7	31	6	0	0	643
2012	561	8	4	24	7	2	1	607
2013	564	16	5	29	6	1	2	623
2014	572	15	8	18	6	1	3	623
2015	533	14	4	23	5	2	7	588
2016	543	13	3	30	3	2	12	606
2017	526	15	5	26	1	2	17	592
2018	566	10	2	33	3	2	17	633
2019	496	14	0	23	2	2	18	555
2020	489	10	0	35	3	1	58	596
2021	414	6	1	24	0	0	46	491
2022	388	8	0	23	0	0	40	459
2023	416	7	0	25	2	0	44	494
2024	419	10	2	33	2	0	55	521

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 Ward Central Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	305	18.9	16.1	34.4
1996	305	18.9	16.1	34.4
1997	301	18.4	16.4	33.2
1998	318	18.4	17.3	41.5
1999	363	18.3	19.8	47.4
2000	381	25.0	15.2	47
2001	383	26.0	14.7	46
2002	478	28.0	17.1	51
2003	478	28.0	17.1	51
2004	462	29.0	15.9	60.4
2005	535	39.0	13.7	46.5
2006	593	36.0	16.5	48.6
2007	601	43.0	14.0	62.9
2008	558	40.0	14.0	57.5
2009	618	33.0	18.7	57.8
2010	682	35.8	17.0	65.5
2011	643	37.3	17.2	64.7
2012	607	34.2	17.7	62.8
2013	623	34.6	18.0	65.5
2014	623	39.2	15.8	66.5
2015	588	42.0	14.0	63.8
2016	606	42.0	14.4	63.9
2017	592	41.0	14.4	34.6
2018	633	39.4	16.0	28
2019	555	31.3	17.7	60
2020	596	34.7	17.1	60.4
2021	491	28.3	17.2	62.1
2022	459	28.3	16.2	51
2023	494	32.3	15.2	61.5
2024	521	35.6	14.6	59.1

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 Ward Central Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	305	18.9	16.1	34.4
1996	305	18.9	16.1	34.4
1997	301	18.4	16.4	33.2
1998	318	18.4	17.3	41.5
1999	363	18.3	19.8	47.4
2000	381	25.0	15.2	47
2001	383	26.0	14.7	46
2002	478	28.0	17.1	51
2003	478	28.0	17.1	51
2004	462	29.0	15.9	60.4
2005	535	39.0	13.7	46.5
2006	593	36.0	16.5	48.6
2007	601	43.0	14.0	62.9
2008	558	40.0	14.0	57.5
2009	618	33.0	18.7	57.8
2010	682	35.8	17.0	65.5
2011	643	37.3	17.2	64.7
2012	607	34.2	17.7	62.8
2013	623	34.6	18.0	65.5
2014	623	39.2	15.8	66.5
2015	588	42.0	14.0	63.8
2016	606	42.0	14.4	63.9
2017	592	41.0	14.4	34.6
2018	633	39.4	16.0	28
2019	555	31.3	17.7	60
2020	596	34.7	17.1	60.4
2021	491	28.3	17.2	62.1
2022	459	28.3	16.2	51
2023	494	32.3	15.2	61.5
2024	521	35.6	14.6	59.1

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 Ward Central Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,816 (29.0%)	$6,898 (71.0%)	$9,713

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ward Central Elementary

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 112^th of 488 Elementary schools	Ranks 61^st of 492 Elementary schools	10.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English (Ward Central Elementary)	84.6	74.7	9.9%
3rd Grade English (Cabot School District)	76.3	75	1.3%
3rd Grade English (Arkansas)	72.4	62.6	9.8%
3rd Grade Math (Ward Central Elementary)	78.9	79.3	0.4%
3rd Grade Math (Cabot School District)	75.7	71	4.7%
3rd Grade Math (Arkansas)	62.1	54.4	7.7%
3rd Grade Science (Ward Central Elementary)	48.1	55.1	7%
3rd Grade Science (Cabot School District)	46.2	50.7	4.5%
3rd Grade Science (Arkansas)	39.4	35	4.4%
3rd Grade Reading (Ward Central Elementary)	41.3	44.8	3.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Cabot School District)	44.1	42.9	1.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Arkansas)	38.3	32.2	6.1%
4th Grade English (Ward Central Elementary)	77.3	69.8	7.5%
4th Grade English (Cabot School District)	79.4	72.6	6.8%
4th Grade English (Arkansas)	69.6	63.3	6.3%
4th Grade Math (Ward Central Elementary)	64.4	58.9	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Cabot School District)	70.9	62.9	8%
4th Grade Math (Arkansas)	53.8	48.6	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Ward Central Elementary)	46.6	56.2	9.6%
4th Grade Science (Cabot School District)	53.3	51.9	1.4%
4th Grade Science (Arkansas)	42.3	38.5	3.8%
4th Grade Reading (Ward Central Elementary)	56.4	53.5	2.9%
4th Grade Reading (Cabot School District)	58.1	54.2	3.9%
4th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	45.3	42	3.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	555	494	11%
African American	14	7	50%
American Indian	2	2
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	23	25	8.7%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	496	416	16.1%
Two or More Races	18	44	144.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	60%	61.5%	1.5%

Schools Near Ward Central Elementary

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 Science (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 All Grades	ATLAS Reading 3rd Grade	ATLAS Reading 4th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Science 3rd Grade	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ward Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1570 Wilson Loop	Ward	72176	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 843-9601	521	36	14.6	59.1%	419 (80.4%)	10 (1.9%)	33 (6.3%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (10.6%)	76.3	103^rd of 497 public elementary schools	79.3%		83	61^st of 492 public elementary schools	87.6%	42	41.8	47.7	44.9	41.7	47.7	44.9	56.9	63.7	60.4	34.2	46.6	40.7	$9,713	$2,816	$6,898
Eastside Elementary School	Public	K-4	17 Bellamy St	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 743-3563	568	34	16.6	39.1%	446 (78.5%)	11 (1.9%)	47 (8.3%)	8 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (9.9%)	78.9	86^th of 497 public elementary schools	82.7%		89.5	33^rd of 492 public elementary schools	93.3%	53	44.0	56.0	50.0	42.4	53.9	48.2	44.8	39.7	42.2	52.8	55.5	54.2	$7,946	$1,012	$6,934
Northside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	814 W Locust St	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 843-5920	395	30	13.2	54.4%	301 (76.2%)	17 (4.3%)	27 (6.8%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	45 (11.4%)	33.8	355^th of 497 public elementary schools	28.6%		56.2	227^th of 492 public elementary schools	53.9%	128	17.2	36.7	27.5	21.5	36.7	29.5	18.6	34.2	26.9	20.0	27.9	24.2	$11,906	$4,319	$7,587
Stagecoach Elementary School	Public	K-4	850 Stagecoach Rd	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 743-3574	472	32	14.7	39.8%	397 (84.1%)	7 (1.5%)	27 (5.7%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (7.8%)	74.6	110^th of 497 public elementary schools	77.9%		82.6	64^th of 492 public elementary schools	87.0%	46	45.4	36.9	41.7	43.6	38.1	41.3	47.3	69.0	56.7	50.0	45.2	48.0	$8,885	$1,834	$7,051
Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	36 Pond St	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 843-3000	420	29	14.3	63.1%	326 (77.6%)	16 (3.8%)	27 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (11.7%)	55.1	231^st of 497 public elementary schools	53.5%		50.5	269^th of 492 public elementary schools	45.3%	38	33.4	37.5	35.4	37.4	36.1	36.7	37.3	43.0	40.2	30.6	40.3	35.4	$12,345	$4,335	$8,010
Westside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1701 S Second St	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 843-5719	403	29	13.7	61.5%	286 (71.0%)	13 (3.2%)	46 (11.4%)	10 (2.5%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	44 (10.9%)	84	55^th of 497 public elementary schools	88.9%		81.5	73^rd of 492 public elementary schools	85.2%	18	50.0	52.1	51.2	50.0	49.3	49.6	53.4	45.1	48.9	61.7	50.7	55.7	$10,603	$3,183	$7,421
Beebe Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1201 W Center St	Beebe	72012	White County	Beebe School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 882-3392	912	52	17.3	58.3%	759 (83.2%)	35 (3.8%)	50 (5.5%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (6.9%)	63	181^st of 497 public elementary schools	63.6%		64	177^th of 492 public elementary schools	64.0%	4	35.6	40.9	38.2	37.3	41.3	39.2	42.8	44.6	43.7	38.8	41.3	40.0	$9,798	$2,532	$7,266
Beebe Early Childhood	Public	K-1	301 S Holly St	Beebe	72012	White County	Beebe School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 882-5463	474	29	16.4	63.1%	397 (83.8%)	21 (4.4%)	21 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (7.2%)								(n/a)													$8,776	$1,352	$7,424
Southside Elementary School	Public	K-4	2600 S Pine St	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 843-6176	512	30	16.7	35.2%	424 (82.8%)	9 (1.8%)	39 (7.6%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (7.0%)	66.5	159^th of 497 public elementary schools	68.0%		83.6	57^th of 492 public elementary schools	88.4%	102	42.1	43.2	42.7	35.2	42.3	39.2	50.0	44.1	46.8	36.4	40.5	38.7	$7,795	$809	$6,986
Mountain Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	3620 Mountain Springs Rd	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 743-3575	500	33	15.0	32.6%	391 (78.2%)	8 (1.6%)	47 (9.4%)	5 (1.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (9.4%)	85	51^st of 497 public elementary schools	89.7%		92	24^th of 492 public elementary schools	95.1%	27	50.0	61.9	55.2	50.0	63.1	55.8	35.8	61.9	47.4	52.9	64.3	57.9	$8,996	$1,864	$7,132

Frequently Asked Questions about Ward Central Elementary

What district is Ward Central Elementary in?

Cabot School District

What schools do graduates of Ward Central Elementary attend?

Students who attend Ward Central Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Cabot Junior High North
Middle : Cabot Middle School North
High : Cabot High School

Is Ward Central Elementary a good school?

Ward Central Elementary ranks 103^rd of 497 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Ward Central Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 521 students attended Ward Central Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Ward Central Elementary?

Students at Ward Central Elementary are 80% White, 11% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 2% African American.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.