Ellen Smith Elementary School

Q: Is Ellen Smith Elementary School a good school?

Ellen Smith Elementary School ranks 166 th of 497 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Ellen Smith Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Conway, Arkansas, serving grades KG-4 with a total enrollment of 429 students. The school is part of the Conway School District, which is ranked 42 out of 252 school districts in Arkansas and is rated 4 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Ellen Smith Elementary School consistently performs above the state average in English Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics, and Science proficiency across all grades, with proficiency rates ranging from 40.7% to 46.9% in 2023-2024, compared to the state averages of 33.8% to 36.4%. The school has ranked between 26th and 248th out of 466 to 497 Arkansas elementary schools over the past 10 years, with a consistent 3- or 4-star rating from SchoolDigger, placing it in the top half of elementary schools in the state. However, the school has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 54.4% to 62% over the past three years, suggesting it serves a population with a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students.

Compared to other schools in the Conway School District, Woodrow Cummins Elementary School and Julia Lee Moore Elementary School stand out as high-performing schools, with 5-star ratings and significantly higher test scores than Ellen Smith Elementary. In contrast, Preston & Florence Mattison Elementary School, Theodore Jones Elementary School, and Marguerite Vann Elementary School have lower test scores and rankings compared to Ellen Smith Elementary. Despite these differences, Ellen Smith Elementary maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 16.4 to 17.5 over the past three years, and its per-student spending is in line with the district and state averages.

Detail:

Public K-4

1601 S Donaghey Ave
Conway, AR 72034

(501) 450-4815

District: Conway School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
166^th of 497 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,319

Students who attend Ellen Smith Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Bob Courtway Middle School
High:	Conway High School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.2

Number of students: 454

Racial breakdown:

White:

40.5%

African American:

28.4%

Hispanic:

18.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 64.8%

See top rated Arkansas elementary schools

Compare Ellen Smith Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Ellen Smith Elementary School ranks better than 66.6% of elementary schools in Arkansas. It also ranks 5^th among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Conway School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 65.26. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Ellen Smith Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (40.5%), African American (28.4%), Hispanic (18.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 64.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ellen Smith Elementary School is 17.2. 5 elementary schools in the Conway School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Ellen Smith Elementary School employs 26.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ellen Smith Elementary School is $9,319. 5 elementary schools in the Conway School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Ellen Smith Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Conway School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Conway School District 42^nd of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Ellen Smith Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AR State Percentile
2005	78.63	58^th	411	85.9%
2006	88.68	19^th	402	95.3%
2007	82.27	49^th	440	88.9%
2008	84.21	37^th	439	91.6%
2009	90.97	9^th	445	98.0%
2010	87.62	17^th	457	96.3%
2011	89.20	9^th	471	98.1%
2012	88.60	7^th	468	98.5%
2013	84.67	27^th	476	94.3%
2014	86.44	26^th	471	94.5%
2015	83.07	53^rd	466	88.6%
2016	69.14	121^st	494	75.5%
2017	50.32	249^th	485	48.7%
2018	73.16	113^th	480	76.5%
2019	57.77	224^th	488	54.1%
2021	54.26	248^th	496	50.0%
2022	60.85	195^th	487	60.0%
2023	75.41	114^th	492	76.8%
2024	65.26	166^th	497	66.6%

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 Ellen Smith Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	313	66	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	384
1989	317	73	4	1	n/a	n/a	n/a	395
1990	339	73	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	417
1991	351	70	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	427
1992	355	67	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	427
1993	333	74	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	411
1994	316	83	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	404
1995	192	29	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	224
1996	192	29	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	224
1997	180	36	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	223
1998	171	39	3	6	2	n/a	n/a	221
1999	182	50	4	17	0	n/a	n/a	253
2000	176	62	2	22	2	n/a	n/a	264
2001	294	68	1	33	1	n/a	n/a	397
2002	323	104	4	45	2	n/a	n/a	478
2003	323	104	4	45	2	n/a	n/a	478
2004	349	103	4	47	0	n/a	n/a	503
2005	324	106	5	48	0	n/a	n/a	483
2006	324	90	6	53	1	n/a	n/a	474
2007	350	88	11	60	0	n/a	n/a	509
2008	344	103	10	56	1	n/a	n/a	514
2009	340	69	10	41	1	n/a	n/a	461
2010	342	50	13	55	1	0	0	461
2011	367	79	20	50	1	1	1	519
2012	392	84	22	38	1	1	7	545
2013	294	108	16	73	0	0	7	498
2014	312	101	19	76	0	0	12	520
2015	253	101	14	69	0	0	5	442
2016	239	103	9	74	0	0	6	431
2017	229	109	8	74	0	1	14	435
2018	224	114	9	69	1	1	23	441
2019	194	115	11	53	0	1	22	396
2020	195	128	9	74	0	1	29	436
2021	187	132	8	71	0	0	31	429
2022	165	138	11	79	1	0	38	432
2023	170	134	9	80	1	0	35	429
2024	184	129	8	85	1	0	47	454

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 Ellen Smith Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	384	18.9	20.3	n/a
1989	395	22.0	17.9	n/a
1990	417	23.0	18.1	21.8
1991	427	24.4	17.5	20.6
1992	427	25.1	17.0	24.8
1993	411	26.0	15.8	30.7
1994	404	25.1	16.1	33.7
1995	224	18.3	12.2	39.3
1996	224	18.3	12.2	39.3
1997	223	18.7	11.9	48
1998	221	18.7	11.8	48.4
1999	253	14.1	17.9	60.1
2000	264	20.0	13.2	57.2
2001	397	25.0	15.9	28.7
2002	478	29.0	16.5	36.6
2003	478	29.0	16.5	36.6
2004	503	28.0	18.0	35
2005	483	30.0	16.1	38.1
2006	474	32.0	14.8	36.3
2007	509	31.0	16.4	33.6
2008	514	30.0	17.1	33.7
2009	461	27.0	17.1	23.2
2010	461	25.9	17.0	23
2011	519	28.4	18.2	28.1
2012	545	29.3	18.5	26.2
2013	498	29.4	16.8	43.4
2014	520	29.6	17.5	43.7
2015	442	27.0	16.3	50
2016	431	28.0	15.3	53.4
2017	435	28.1	15.4	22.8
2018	441	27.4	16.0	21.5
2019	396	21.0	18.8	54
2020	436	24.9	17.4	55
2021	429	26.1	16.4	62
2022	432	24.6	17.5	54.4
2023	429	24.4	17.5	62
2024	454	26.2	17.2	64.8

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 Ellen Smith Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	384	18.9	20.3	n/a
1989	395	22.0	17.9	n/a
1990	417	23.0	18.1	21.8
1991	427	24.4	17.5	20.6
1992	427	25.1	17.0	24.8
1993	411	26.0	15.8	30.7
1994	404	25.1	16.1	33.7
1995	224	18.3	12.2	39.3
1996	224	18.3	12.2	39.3
1997	223	18.7	11.9	48
1998	221	18.7	11.8	48.4
1999	253	14.1	17.9	60.1
2000	264	20.0	13.2	57.2
2001	397	25.0	15.9	28.7
2002	478	29.0	16.5	36.6
2003	478	29.0	16.5	36.6
2004	503	28.0	18.0	35
2005	483	30.0	16.1	38.1
2006	474	32.0	14.8	36.3
2007	509	31.0	16.4	33.6
2008	514	30.0	17.1	33.7
2009	461	27.0	17.1	23.2
2010	461	25.9	17.0	23
2011	519	28.4	18.2	28.1
2012	545	29.3	18.5	26.2
2013	498	29.4	16.8	43.4
2014	520	29.6	17.5	43.7
2015	442	27.0	16.3	50
2016	431	28.0	15.3	53.4
2017	435	28.1	15.4	22.8
2018	441	27.4	16.0	21.5
2019	396	21.0	18.8	54
2020	436	24.9	17.4	55
2021	429	26.1	16.4	62
2022	432	24.6	17.5	54.4
2023	429	24.4	17.5	62
2024	454	26.2	17.2	64.8

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 Ellen Smith Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,260 (13.5%)	$8,059 (86.5%)	$9,319

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ellen Smith Elementary School

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 224^th of 488 Elementary schools	Ranks 114^th of 492 Elementary schools	22.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English (Ellen Smith Elementary School)	77.1	79.7	2.6%
3rd Grade English (Conway School District)	78.8	71.3	7.5%
3rd Grade English (Arkansas)	72.4	62.6	9.8%
3rd Grade Math (Ellen Smith Elementary School)	66	72.6	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Conway School District)	70.7	65.6	5.1%
3rd Grade Math (Arkansas)	62.1	54.4	7.7%
3rd Grade Science (Ellen Smith Elementary School)	36.4	41.6	5.2%
3rd Grade Science (Conway School District)	43.5	44.3	0.8%
3rd Grade Science (Arkansas)	39.4	35	4.4%
3rd Grade Reading (Ellen Smith Elementary School)	36.5	40.5	4%
3rd Grade Reading (Conway School District)	45.1	42.1	3%
3rd Grade Reading (Arkansas)	38.3	32.2	6.1%
4th Grade English (Ellen Smith Elementary School)	72.6	73.2	0.6%
4th Grade English (Conway School District)	74.1	69.6	4.5%
4th Grade English (Arkansas)	69.6	63.3	6.3%
4th Grade Math (Ellen Smith Elementary School)	54.7	48.7	6%
4th Grade Math (Conway School District)	61.5	55	6.5%
4th Grade Math (Arkansas)	53.8	48.6	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Ellen Smith Elementary School)	44.1	45.1	1%
4th Grade Science (Conway School District)	46.1	45.9	0.2%
4th Grade Science (Arkansas)	42.3	38.5	3.8%
4th Grade Reading (Ellen Smith Elementary School)	53.6	54.8	1.2%
4th Grade Reading (Conway School District)	56.5	51.3	5.2%
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	396	429	8.3%
African American	115	134	16.5%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	11	9	18.2%
Hispanic	53	80	50.9%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	194	170	12.4%
Two or More Races	22	35	59.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	54%	62%	8%

Schools Near Ellen Smith Elementary School

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
Ellen Smith Elementary School	Public	K-4	1601 S Donaghey Ave	Conway	72034	Faulkner County	Conway School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 450-4815	454	26	17.2	64.8%	184 (40.5%)	129 (28.4%)	85 (18.7%)	8 (1.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (10.4%)	65.3	166^th of 497 public elementary schools	66.6%		75.4	114^th of 492 public elementary schools	76.8%	52	49.4	34.6	42.4	47.3	33.3	40.7	52.7	40.5	46.9	41.9	31.0	36.7	$9,319	$1,260	$8,059
Marguerite Vann Elementary School	Public	K-4	2845 Carl Stuart Rd	Conway	72034	Faulkner County	Conway School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 450-4870	387	23	17.0	74.4%	150 (38.8%)	141 (36.4%)	59 (15.2%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (8.8%)	39.4	319^th of 497 public elementary schools	35.8%		41.8	321^st of 492 public elementary schools	34.8%	2	35.2	35.8	35.5	35.2	33.3	34.1	24.3	22.2	23.2	27.1	24.7	25.8	$10,276	$1,973	$8,303
Sallie Cone Preschool	Public	PK	1629 South Blvd	Conway	72034	Faulkner County	Conway School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 450-6693	260	20	12.9	98.8%	41 (15.8%)	132 (50.8%)	53 (20.4%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (11.9%)								(n/a)
Carolyn Lewis Elementary School	Public	K-4	1805 Old Military Rd	Conway	72034	Faulkner County	Conway School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 450-4835	510	29	17.8	52.5%	251 (49.2%)	141 (27.6%)	57 (11.2%)	10 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (9.8%)	80.2	78^th of 497 public elementary schools	84.3%		87.2	43^rd of 492 public elementary schools	91.3%	35	39.8	67.4	54.7	42.1	62.5	53.2	34.1	61.6	48.9	45.4	55.7	51.0	$8,718	$1,531	$7,187
Ida Burns Elementary School	Public	K-4	1201 Donaghey Ave	Conway	72034	Faulkner County	Conway School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 450-4825	395	23	17.2	71.9%	174 (44.1%)	144 (36.5%)	36 (9.1%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (9.6%)	64	175^th of 497 public elementary schools	64.8%		58.8	215^th of 492 public elementary schools	56.3%	40	44.6	45.3	45.0	48.7	44.7	46.6	43.2	29.4	35.9	40.6	29.4	34.6	$9,715	$1,770	$7,945
Jim Stone Elementary School	Public	K-4	4255 College Ave	Conway	72034	Faulkner County	Conway School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 450-4808	363	22	16.4	50.7%	179 (49.3%)	80 (22.0%)	65 (17.9%)	7 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (8.8%)	66.6	156^th of 497 public elementary schools	68.6%		68	156^th of 492 public elementary schools	68.3%		56.7	47.9	52.2	53.8	45.2	49.3	50.7	23.3	36.5	35.8	28.8	32.1	$13,359	$2,234	$11,125
Julia Lee Moore Elementary School	Public	K-4	1301 Country Club Rd	Conway	72034	Faulkner County	Conway School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 450-4830	351	22	16.0	45.3%	226 (64.4%)	65 (18.5%)	19 (5.4%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (10.3%)	94	22^nd of 497 public elementary schools	95.6%		92.2	22^nd of 492 public elementary schools	95.5%		60.3	62.5	61.4	61.6	63.9	62.8	63.0	58.3	60.7	60.3	54.1	57.2	$10,393	$2,688	$7,705
Preston & Florence Mattison Elementary School	Public	K-4	2001 Florence Mattison Dr	Conway	72032	Faulkner County	Conway School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 450-4820	390	25	15.5	78.5%	147 (37.7%)	111 (28.5%)	92 (23.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (10.0%)	51	252^nd of 497 public elementary schools	49.3%		40.3	328^th of 492 public elementary schools	33.3%	76	42.1	31.6	37.1	46.9	31.6	39.6	39.7	22.4	31.4	39.7	21.0	30.9	$9,269	$1,814	$7,456
Theodore Jones Elementary School	Public	K-4	1800 Freyaldenhoven Ln	Conway	72032	Faulkner County	Conway School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 450-6645	485	27	17.8	70.9%	170 (35.1%)	194 (40.0%)	68 (14.0%)	9 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (8.9%)	52.1	245^th of 497 public elementary schools	50.7%		51.6	260^th of 492 public elementary schools	47.2%	15	42.1	28.1	34.8	45.8	29.3	37.2	45.7	31.4	38.4	38.5	25.9	31.9	$11,663	$2,421	$9,242
Woodrow Cummins Elementary School	Public	K-4	1400 Padgett Rd	Conway	72034	Faulkner County	Conway School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 450-4800	448	24	18.6	38.6%	265 (59.2%)	76 (17.0%)	47 (10.5%)	21 (4.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (8.5%)	87.2	42^nd of 497 public elementary schools	91.5%		92.9	18^th of 492 public elementary schools	96.3%	24	48.9	57.9	53.4	52.1	57.9	55.0	70.8	54.8	62.8	45.8	48.5	47.1	$8,351	$679	$7,672

Frequently Asked Questions about Ellen Smith Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Ellen Smith Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Ellen Smith Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bob Courtway Middle School
High : Conway High School

What is the racial makeup of Ellen Smith Elementary School?

Students at Ellen Smith Elementary School are 41% White, 28% African American, 19% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

How many students attend Ellen Smith Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 454 students attended Ellen Smith Elementary School.

Is Ellen Smith Elementary School a good school?

Ellen Smith Elementary School ranks 166^th of 497 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Ellen Smith Elementary School in?

Conway School District

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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.