Park Elementary School

Summary:

Park Elementary School is a public elementary school in Fort Smith, Arkansas, serving 356 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Fort Smith School District, which is ranked 160 out of 252 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Park Elementary School consistently ranks in the bottom half of Arkansas elementary schools, with proficiency rates in ATLAS/English Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics, and Science that are significantly lower than the district and state averages, often by 10-15 percentage points or more. The school's ACT Aspire assessment scores are also well below the district and state averages across all subjects and grade levels. Additionally, Park Elementary has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 89.89% to 90.42% over the past 3 years, which may be a contributing factor to the school's lower academic performance.

In comparison, the nearby Spradling Elementary, Bonneville Elementary, and Fairview Elementary schools generally perform better academically, with higher proficiency rates and better statewide rankings. These nearby schools also have lower percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 58.35% to 94.04%. While Park Elementary's spending per student and student-teacher ratios are similar to or slightly higher than the nearby schools, the school's consistently low academic performance and high percentage of economically disadvantaged students suggest that targeted interventions and additional support may be needed to improve educational outcomes for its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

4111 Park Ave
Fort Smith, AR 72903

(479) 783-4506

District: Fort Smith School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
432^nd of 497 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,109

Students who attend Park Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	William O. Darby Middle School
High:	Northside High School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.1

Number of students: 356

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

49.7%

White:

23.6%

African American:

15.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 89.9%

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Compare Park Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Park Elementary School ranks worse than 86.9% of elementary schools in Arkansas. It also ranks 14^th among 19 ranked elementary schools in the Fort Smith School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 17.97. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Park Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (49.7%), White (23.6%), African American (15.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 89.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Park Elementary School is 19.1. 13 elementary schools in the Fort Smith School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Park Elementary School employs 18.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Park Elementary School is $10,109. 10 elementary schools in the Fort Smith School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Fort Smith School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Fort Smith School District 160^th of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Park Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AR State Percentile
2005	29.59	324^th	411	21.2%
2006	35.96	298^th	402	25.9%
2007	25.57	363^rd	440	17.5%
2008	20.46	382^nd	439	13.0%
2009	38.47	318^th	445	28.5%
2010	31.95	358^th	457	21.7%
2011	36.95	352^nd	471	25.3%
2012	29.52	389^th	468	16.9%
2013	27.65	391^st	476	17.9%
2014	25.84	395^th	471	16.1%
2015	21.73	395^th	466	15.2%
2016	35.64	361^st	494	26.9%
2017	35.83	338^th	485	30.3%
2018	28.09	377^th	480	21.5%
2019	18.64	419^th	488	14.1%
2021	20.12	407^th	496	17.9%
2022	13.08	428^th	487	12.1%
2023	15.67	426^th	492	13.4%
2024	17.97	432^nd	497	13.1%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Park Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	313	25	10	3	4	n/a	n/a	355
1989	300	49	14	8	9	n/a	n/a	380
1990	296	38	7	5	14	n/a	n/a	360
1991	298	37	4	6	14	n/a	n/a	359
1992	286	35	13	8	16	n/a	n/a	358
1993	289	42	12	15	8	n/a	n/a	366
1994	289	46	10	16	8	n/a	n/a	369
1995	260	59	15	15	19	n/a	n/a	368
1996	260	59	15	15	19	n/a	n/a	368
1997	256	62	10	33	22	n/a	n/a	383
1998	274	71	13	47	15	n/a	n/a	420
1999	248	72	9	60	10	n/a	n/a	399
2000	230	70	9	83	7	n/a	n/a	399
2001	232	64	12	96	14	n/a	n/a	418
2002	188	61	9	129	6	n/a	n/a	393
2003	188	61	9	129	6	n/a	n/a	393
2004	169	51	7	161	7	n/a	n/a	395
2005	139	72	4	176	18	n/a	n/a	409
2006	141	87	4	168	22	n/a	n/a	422
2007	132	66	5	187	20	n/a	n/a	410
2008	134	72	4	196	11	n/a	n/a	417
2009	139	84	6	198	6	n/a	n/a	433
2010	184	52	12	216	7	3	25	499
2011	179	55	10	253	7	6	28	538
2012	167	56	7	285	10	7	27	559
2013	155	65	5	265	9	7	28	534
2014	151	64	6	281	5	9	28	544
2015	152	56	6	285	5	9	36	549
2016	148	73	3	261	2	5	39	531
2017	137	78	3	258	1	4	40	521
2018	159	76	3	245	8	2	31	524
2019	155	77	3	236	4	1	53	529
2020	135	74	3	244	0	0	42	498
2021	144	84	7	232	0	0	36	503
2022	118	64	8	186	0	0	31	407
2023	84	55	6	177	0	1	33	356

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 Park Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	355	15.6	22.7	n/a
1989	380	21.0	18.0	n/a
1990	360	21.0	17.1	30.3
1991	359	16.8	21.3	32
1992	358	17.1	20.9	38.5
1993	366	18.0	20.3	43.4
1994	369	19.1	19.3	53.1
1995	368	18.8	19.6	49.7
1996	368	18.8	19.6	49.7
1997	383	22.3	17.2	53
1998	420	22.3	18.8	59.8
1999	399	19.5	20.5	73.2
2000	399	25.0	16.0	77.9
2001	418	24.0	17.4	73.4
2002	393	25.0	15.7	84
2003	393	25.0	15.7	84
2004	395	24.0	16.5	83.8
2005	409	26.0	15.7	86.6
2006	422	24.0	17.6	89.3
2007	410	27.0	15.2	92.2
2008	417	27.0	15.4	92.6
2009	433	26.0	16.7	90.3
2010	499	29.0	15.5	92.6
2011	538	30.6	17.5	94.8
2012	559	32.3	17.3	95.5
2013	534	35.5	15.0	96.1
2014	544	32.5	16.7	97.2
2015	549	34.0	16.1	95.4
2016	531	34.0	15.6	96.2
2017	521	33.8	15.4	34.2
2018	524	33.1	15.8	36.1
2019	529	27.8	19.0	91.9
2020	498	27.6	18.0	93.8
2021	503	26.9	18.6	90.1
2022	407	21.3	19.0	90.4
2023	356	18.6	19.1	89.9

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 Park Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	355	15.6	22.7	n/a
1989	380	21.0	18.0	n/a
1990	360	21.0	17.1	30.3
1991	359	16.8	21.3	32
1992	358	17.1	20.9	38.5
1993	366	18.0	20.3	43.4
1994	369	19.1	19.3	53.1
1995	368	18.8	19.6	49.7
1996	368	18.8	19.6	49.7
1997	383	22.3	17.2	53
1998	420	22.3	18.8	59.8
1999	399	19.5	20.5	73.2
2000	399	25.0	16.0	77.9
2001	418	24.0	17.4	73.4
2002	393	25.0	15.7	84
2003	393	25.0	15.7	84
2004	395	24.0	16.5	83.8
2005	409	26.0	15.7	86.6
2006	422	24.0	17.6	89.3
2007	410	27.0	15.2	92.2
2008	417	27.0	15.4	92.6
2009	433	26.0	16.7	90.3
2010	499	29.0	15.5	92.6
2011	538	30.6	17.5	94.8
2012	559	32.3	17.3	95.5
2013	534	35.5	15.0	96.1
2014	544	32.5	16.7	97.2
2015	549	34.0	16.1	95.4
2016	531	34.0	15.6	96.2
2017	521	33.8	15.4	34.2
2018	524	33.1	15.8	36.1
2019	529	27.8	19.0	91.9
2020	498	27.6	18.0	93.8
2021	503	26.9	18.6	90.1
2022	407	21.3	19.0	90.4
2023	356	18.6	19.1	89.9

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 Park Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,156 (21.3%)	$7,953 (78.7%)	$10,109

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Park 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 419^th of 488 Elementary schools	Ranks 426^th of 492 Elementary schools	0.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English (Park Elementary School)	53.3	45.5	7.8%
3rd Grade English (Fort Smith School District)	65.4	57.5	7.9%
3rd Grade English (Arkansas)	72.4	62.6	9.8%
3rd Grade Math (Park Elementary School)	33.3	41.8	8.5%
3rd Grade Math (Fort Smith School District)	54.1	48.5	5.6%
3rd Grade Math (Arkansas)	62.1	54.4	7.7%
3rd Grade Science (Park Elementary School)	20	18.2	1.8%
3rd Grade Science (Fort Smith School District)	30.6	28.1	2.5%
3rd Grade Science (Arkansas)	39.4	35	4.4%
3rd Grade Reading (Park Elementary School)	24	23.6	0.4%
3rd Grade Reading (Fort Smith School District)	32.1	29.4	2.7%
3rd Grade Reading (Arkansas)	38.3	32.2	6.1%
4th Grade English (Park Elementary School)	65.7	38.9	26.8%
4th Grade English (Fort Smith School District)	66	60.7	5.3%
4th Grade English (Arkansas)	69.6	63.3	6.3%
4th Grade Math (Park Elementary School)	43.8	16.7	27.1%
4th Grade Math (Fort Smith School District)	49.5	41.7	7.8%
4th Grade Math (Arkansas)	53.8	48.6	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Park Elementary School)	29.7	16.7	13%
4th Grade Science (Fort Smith School District)	33.1	34	0.9%
4th Grade Science (Arkansas)	42.3	38.5	3.8%
4th Grade Reading (Park Elementary School)	39.1	24.1	15%
4th Grade Reading (Fort Smith School District)	42.2	38.8	3.4%
4th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	45.3	42	3.3%
5th Grade English (Park Elementary School)	61.8	59.6	2.2%
5th Grade English (Fort Smith School District)	71.6	67.7	3.9%
5th Grade English (Arkansas)	73.3	70.2	3.1%
5th Grade Math (Park Elementary School)	32.7	17	15.7%
5th Grade Math (Fort Smith School District)	46.6	36.5	10.1%
5th Grade Math (Arkansas)	49.2	40.7	8.5%
5th Grade Science (Park Elementary School)	30.9	8.5	22.4%
5th Grade Science (Fort Smith School District)	37.3	32	5.3%
5th Grade Science (Arkansas)	40.7	34.6	6.1%
5th Grade Reading (Park Elementary School)	25.4	19.2	6.2%
5th Grade Reading (Fort Smith School District)	35	35.1	0.1%
5th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	41	36.8	4.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	529	356	32.7%
African American	77	55	28.6%
American Indian	4	0	100%
Asian	3	6	100%
Hispanic	236	177	25%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	155	84	45.8%
Two or More Races	53	33	37.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	91.9%	89.9%	2%

Schools Near Park 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 5th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 3rd Grade	ATLAS Reading 4th Grade	ATLAS Reading 5th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 5th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Science 3rd Grade	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science 5th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Park Elementary School

Is Park Elementary School a good school?

Park Elementary School ranks in the bottom 13.1% of Arkansas elementary schools.

What district is Park Elementary School in?

Fort Smith School District

What is the racial makeup of Park Elementary School?

Students at Park Elementary School are 50% Hispanic, 24% White, 15% African American, 9% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Park Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Park Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : William O. Darby Middle School
High : Northside High School

How many students attend Park Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 356 students attended Park Elementary School.

Rate Park Elementary School!

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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.