Ward Central Elementary

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:
103rd of 497 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,713 Help


Students who attend Ward Central Elementary usually attend:

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

Student/teacher ratio:  15.2 Help
Number of students:  494

Racial breakdown:

White:
84.2%
Two or more races:
8.9%
Hispanic:
5.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  61.5% Help


 See top rated Arkansas elementary schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Ward Central Elementary ranks better than 79.3% of elementary schools in Arkansas. It also ranks 4th among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Cabot School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 76.32. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (84.2%), two or more races (8.9%), Hispanic (5.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 61.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ward Central Elementary is 15.2. 4 elementary schools in the Cabot School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Ward Central Elementary employs 32.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
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 50th of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Ward Central Elementary

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

Ward Central Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for Ward Central Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1995 298 1 1 3 2 n/a n/a 0 305
1996 298 1 1 3 2 n/a n/a 0 305
1997 297 0 2 0 2 n/a n/a 0 301
1998 316 0 1 0 1 n/a n/a 0 318
1999 354 1 3 1 4 n/a n/a 0 363
2000 374 1 2 1 3 n/a n/a 0 381
2001 376 1 2 1 3 n/a n/a 0 383
2002 460 3 3 5 7 n/a n/a 0 478
2003 460 3 3 5 7 n/a n/a 0 478
2004 435 2 3 14 8 n/a n/a 0 462
2005 514 6 2 10 3 n/a n/a 0 535
2006 569 5 3 13 3 n/a n/a 0 593
2007 581 5 1 11 3 n/a n/a 0 601
2008 525 9 6 14 4 n/a n/a 0 558
2009 585 7 8 17 1 n/a n/a 0 618
2010 631 12 8 23 8 0 0 0 682
2011 583 16 7 31 6 0 0 0 643
2012 561 8 4 24 7 2 1 0 607
2013 564 16 5 29 6 1 2 0 623
2014 572 15 8 18 6 1 3 0 623
2015 533 14 4 23 5 2 7 0 588
2016 543 13 3 30 3 2 12 0 606
2017 526 15 5 26 1 2 17 0 592
2018 566 10 2 33 3 2 17 0 633
2019 496 14 0 23 2 2 18 0 555
2020 489 10 0 35 3 1 58 0 596
2021 414 6 1 24 0 0 46 0 491
2022 388 8 0 23 0 0 40 0 459
2023 416 7 0 25 2 0 44 0 494

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

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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

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

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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

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

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal 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 112th of 488 Elementary schoolsRanks 61st 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)84.674.7
 9.9%
   3rd Grade English (Cabot School District)76.375
 1.3%
   3rd Grade English (Arkansas)72.462.6
 9.8%
3rd Grade Math (Ward Central Elementary)78.979.3
 0.4%
   3rd Grade Math (Cabot School District)75.771
 4.7%
   3rd Grade Math (Arkansas)62.154.4
 7.7%
3rd Grade Science (Ward Central Elementary)48.155.1
 7%
   3rd Grade Science (Cabot School District)46.250.7
 4.5%
   3rd Grade Science (Arkansas)39.435
 4.4%
3rd Grade Reading (Ward Central Elementary)41.344.8
 3.5%
   3rd Grade Reading (Cabot School District)44.142.9
 1.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (Arkansas)38.332.2
 6.1%
4th Grade English (Ward Central Elementary)77.369.8
 7.5%
   4th Grade English (Cabot School District)79.472.6
 6.8%
   4th Grade English (Arkansas)69.663.3
 6.3%
4th Grade Math (Ward Central Elementary)64.458.9
 5.5%
   4th Grade Math (Cabot School District)70.962.9
 8%
   4th Grade Math (Arkansas)53.848.6
 5.2%
4th Grade Science (Ward Central Elementary)46.656.2
 9.6%
   4th Grade Science (Cabot School District)53.351.9
 1.4%
   4th Grade Science (Arkansas)42.338.5
 3.8%
4th Grade Reading (Ward Central Elementary)56.453.5
 2.9%
   4th Grade Reading (Cabot School District)58.154.2
 3.9%
   4th Grade Reading (Arkansas)45.342
 3.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students555494
 11%
African American147
 50%
American Indian22
Asian00
Hispanic2325
 8.7%
Pacific Islander20
 100%
White496416
 16.1%
Two or More Races1844
 144.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients60%61.5%
 1.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Ward Central Elementary

Students at Ward Central Elementary are 84% White, 9% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 1% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 494 students attended Ward Central Elementary.

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

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


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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.





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