Southside High School

Q: Is Southside High School a good school?

Southside High School ranks 71 st of 305 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Southside High School is a public high school located in Fort Smith, Arkansas, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,956 students. It 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. Southside High School has consistently been one of the top-performing high schools in Arkansas, ranking within the top 30 schools in the state for several years.

Southside High School consistently outperforms the Fort Smith School District and the state of Arkansas in various academic assessments, including ATLAS and ACT Aspire. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 40.4% of 10th-grade students at Southside High School were proficient or better in ATLAS/English Language Arts, compared to 30% for the Fort Smith School District and 31.7% for the state. Additionally, Southside High School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 8.5 to 10.5 over the past three school years, which is lower than the nearby Northside High School (12.1) and the state average.

The lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at Southside High School (43.89% to 47.44%) compared to Northside High School (73.74%) and the state average suggests that the school may have a more advantaged student population, which could contribute to its strong academic performance. Additionally, Southside High School spends $12,274 per student, which is higher than the state average and the nearby Northside High School ($11,279), indicating that the school may have access to more resources and funding to support student success.

Detail:

Public 9-12

4100 Gary St
Fort Smith, AR 72903

(479) 646-7371

District: Fort Smith School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
71^st of 305 Arkansas High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,274

Feeder schools for Southside High School:

Elementary:	Barling Elementary School
	Beard Elementary School
	Bonneville Elementary School
	Carnall Elementary School
	More...
	Cavanaugh Elementary School
	Elmer H. Cook Elementary School
	Fairview Elementary School
	John P. Woods Elementary School
	Raymond F. Orr Elementary School
Middle:	L. A. Chaffin Middle School
	Ramsey Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.5

Number of students: 1,956

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.9%

Hispanic:

18.5%

Two or more races:

9.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 47.4%

See top rated Arkansas high schools

Compare Southside High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Southside High School ranks better than 76.7% of high schools in Arkansas. It also ranks first among 3 ranked high schools in the Fort Smith School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 68.05. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (56.9%), Hispanic (18.5%), two or more races (9.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 47.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Fort Smith School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southside High School is 10.5. 1 high schools in the Fort Smith School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Southside High School employs 185.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southside High School is $12,274. 1 high schools in the Fort Smith School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Southside High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Southside High School 71^st of 305 Arkansas public high schools. (See Southside High School in the ranking list.)

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 Southside High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AR State Percentile
2006	53.94	88^th	232	62.1%
2007	51.16	106^th	258	58.9%
2008	72.48	28^th	256	89.1%
2009	75.09	26^th	261	90.0%
2010	71.83	32^nd	262	87.8%
2011	72.11	29^th	266	89.1%
2012	78.95	14^th	266	94.7%
2013	76.35	24^th	271	91.1%
2014	71.04	36^th	268	86.6%
2015	74.02	24^th	267	91.0%
2016	90.85	11^th	269	95.9%
2017	89.31	14^th	264	94.7%
2018	88.07	14^th	263	94.7%
2019	86.18	16^th	282	94.3%
2021	86.71	16^th	290	94.5%
2022	79.78	28^th	282	90.1%
2023	83.45	31^st	295	89.5%
2024	68.05	71^st	305	76.7%

See the entire list of Arkansas High 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: 3.5)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, May 8, 2023

Excellent school and teachers. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Southside High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	1426	6	12	5	15	n/a	n/a	1464
1989	1353	6	23	5	9	n/a	n/a	1396
1990	1309	12	22	1	5	n/a	n/a	1349
1991	1276	13	20	3	3	n/a	n/a	1315
1992	1318	21	22	10	10	n/a	n/a	1381
1993	1373	46	36	10	27	n/a	n/a	1492
1994	1321	40	41	12	56	n/a	n/a	1470
1995	1272	35	54	17	61	n/a	n/a	1439
1996	1272	35	54	17	61	n/a	n/a	1439
1997	1299	48	64	13	47	n/a	n/a	1471
1998	1313	41	64	22	47	n/a	n/a	1487
1999	1292	48	66	29	46	n/a	n/a	1481
2000	1301	44	73	22	43	n/a	n/a	1483
2001	1294	48	70	27	44	n/a	n/a	1483
2002	1259	75	65	32	38	n/a	n/a	1469
2003	1259	75	65	32	38	n/a	n/a	1469
2004	1268	86	70	34	38	n/a	n/a	1496
2005	1232	73	87	41	40	n/a	n/a	1473
2006	1238	81	91	47	44	n/a	n/a	1501
2007	1234	101	100	53	43	n/a	n/a	1531
2008	1249	105	91	70	46	n/a	n/a	1561
2009	1227	103	80	67	41	n/a	n/a	1518
2010	1137	114	81	109	50	0	50	1541
2011	1129	103	80	139	33	0	63	1547
2012	1104	94	86	155	33	3	82	1557
2013	1074	98	111	175	19	1	119	1597
2014	1020	71	123	173	20	1	179	1587
2015	969	82	130	196	23	2	159	1561
2016	973	81	128	196	24	1	174	1577
2017	997	83	120	213	10	1	146	1570
2018	985	80	117	199	11	1	144	1537
2019	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	0
2020	821	82	112	163	14	0	150	1342
2021	822	74	118	179	15	0	150	1358
2022	1040	99	145	295	24	0	191	1794
2023	1113	106	160	362	21	0	194	1956

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 Southside High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1464	78.5	18.6	n/a
1989	1396	83.0	16.8	n/a
1990	1349	81.0	16.6	1.2
1991	1315	77.2	17.0	1.3
1992	1381	77.9	17.7	2.3
1993	1492	81.1	18.4	3.7
1994	1470	88.0	16.7	3.6
1995	1439	84.1	17.1	4
1996	1439	84.1	17.1	4
1997	1471	91.3	16.1	3.6
1998	1487	91.3	16.3	3.5
1999	1481	53.7	27.6	4.9
2000	1483	91.0	16.3	4.8
2001	1483	101.0	14.7	5.8
2002	1469	93.0	15.8	8
2003	1469	93.0	15.8	8
2004	1496	90.0	16.6	9.2
2005	1473	93.0	15.8	11.3
2006	1501	99.0	15.2	19.6
2007	1531	101.0	15.2	19.1
2008	1561	101.0	15.5	21
2009	1518	102.0	14.9	23.8
2010	1541	94.9	14.6	29.2
2011	1547	98.3	15.7	34.1
2012	1557	99.2	15.6	35.1
2013	1597	102.4	15.5	36.8
2014	1587	102.1	15.5	37.5
2015	1561	106.0	14.7	40.2
2016	1577	107.0	14.7	39.5
2017	1570	110.6	14.1	22.3
2018	1537	111.5	13.7	24.6
2019	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2020	1342	171.9	7.8	42.4
2021	1358	158.1	8.5	43.9
2022	1794	192.7	9.3	47.4
2023	1956	185.8	10.5	47.4

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 Southside High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1464	78.5	18.6	n/a
1989	1396	83.0	16.8	n/a
1990	1349	81.0	16.6	1.2
1991	1315	77.2	17.0	1.3
1992	1381	77.9	17.7	2.3
1993	1492	81.1	18.4	3.7
1994	1470	88.0	16.7	3.6
1995	1439	84.1	17.1	4
1996	1439	84.1	17.1	4
1997	1471	91.3	16.1	3.6
1998	1487	91.3	16.3	3.5
1999	1481	53.7	27.6	4.9
2000	1483	91.0	16.3	4.8
2001	1483	101.0	14.7	5.8
2002	1469	93.0	15.8	8
2003	1469	93.0	15.8	8
2004	1496	90.0	16.6	9.2
2005	1473	93.0	15.8	11.3
2006	1501	99.0	15.2	19.6
2007	1531	101.0	15.2	19.1
2008	1561	101.0	15.5	21
2009	1518	102.0	14.9	23.8
2010	1541	94.9	14.6	29.2
2011	1547	98.3	15.7	34.1
2012	1557	99.2	15.6	35.1
2013	1597	102.4	15.5	36.8
2014	1587	102.1	15.5	37.5
2015	1561	106.0	14.7	40.2
2016	1577	107.0	14.7	39.5
2017	1570	110.6	14.1	22.3
2018	1537	111.5	13.7	24.6
2019	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2020	1342	171.9	7.8	42.4
2021	1358	158.1	8.5	43.9
2022	1794	192.7	9.3	47.4
2023	1956	185.8	10.5	47.4

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 Southside High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,591 (13.0%)	$10,683 (87.0%)	$12,274

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Southside High 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 16^th of 282 High schools	Ranks 31^st of 295 High schools	4.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English (Southside High School)	69.1	61.2	7.9%
10th Grade English (Fort Smith School District)	59.5	48	11.5%
10th Grade English (Arkansas)	59.6	54.4	5.2%
10th Grade Math (Southside High School)	41.8	29.4	12.4%
10th Grade Math (Fort Smith School District)	30.7	21.8	8.9%
10th Grade Math (Arkansas)	29.2	20.4	8.8%
10th Grade Science (Southside High School)	47	38.3	8.7%
10th Grade Science (Fort Smith School District)	36	27.3	8.7%
10th Grade Science (Arkansas)	33	28.6	4.4%
10th Grade Reading (Southside High School)	42.2	47.6	5.4%
10th Grade Reading (Fort Smith School District)	34.5	35.2	0.7%
10th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	32.2	35.9	3.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Southside High School)	28.1	32.1	4%
11th Grade Mathematics (Fort Smith School District)	21.1	22.5	1.4%
11th Grade English (Southside High School)	64.2	61.4	2.8%
11th Grade English (Fort Smith School District)	48	49.2	1.2%
11th Grade Reading (Southside High School)	44.5	40.4	4.1%
11th Grade Reading (Fort Smith School District)	33.4	33.1	0.3%
11th Grade Science (Southside High School)	34.1	35.6	1.5%
11th Grade Science (Fort Smith School District)	24.1	26.1	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	0	1956
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	∞	47.4%

Schools Near Southside High 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 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 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 7th Grade	ATLAS Reading 8th Grade	ATLAS Reading 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading 10th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 7th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 8th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Algebra 9th Grade	ATLAS Algebra 10th Grade	ATLAS Algebra All Grades	ATLAS Geometry 9th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 10th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 11th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 12th Grade	ATLAS Geometry All Grades	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
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
Premier High School Of Fort Smith	Public, Charter	9-12	3400 Rogers Avenue Ste. 126	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Premier High Schools Of Arkansas	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(479) 366-9410	63	11	5.6	38.1%	32 (50.8%)	8 (12.7%)	15 (23.8%)	1 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (11.1%)	16.6	272^nd of 305 public high schools	10.8%					(n/a)			10.0	15.4	12.5			9.7	22.2	15.5				6.7		5.6	0.0	0.0	0.0		0.0				25.0	25.0	0.0		23.1
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
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
Western Arkansas Technical Center	Public	9-12	5210 Grand Ave	Fort Smith	72913	Sebastian County	Westark Technical Center	No	No	No	No	(479) 788-7720	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Future School Of Fort Smith	Public, Charter	9-12	622 N 7th St	Fort Smith	72917	Sebastian County	Future School Of Fort Smith	Yes	No	No	Yes	(479) 431-8695	241	39	6.1	100.0%	116 (48.1%)	44 (18.3%)	52 (21.6%)	2 (0.8%)	4 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (9.5%)	32.2	222^nd of 305 public high schools	27.2%		21.6	251^st of 295 public high schools	14.9%	29			22.3	19.7	20.6			30.6	17.9	22.4				8.8		7.7	0.0	3.2	0.0	0.0	2.8					33.3	0.0		32.8	$8,691	$448	$8,243
Haas Hall Academy Fort Smith	Public, Charter	7-12	1000 Fianna Way	Fort Smith	72919	Sebastian County	Haas Hall Academy	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(479) 977-4930	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	95.8	4^th of 305 public high schools	98.7%					(n/a)	73.4	64.7	63.6		73.1	80.0	64.7	72.7		76.9	83.3	41.7	62.5			83.3	80.0	25.0			55.5	80.0	64.7	71.9	66.7	60.0			62.5
Van Buren High School	Public	10-12	2001 Pointer Trail	Van Buren	72956	Crawford County	Van Buren School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 474-6821	1,228	105	11.6	47.9%	813 (66.2%)	30 (2.4%)	254 (20.7%)	36 (2.9%)	27 (2.2%)	2 (0.2%)	66 (5.4%)	61.5	100^th of 305 public high schools	67.2%		58.8	109^th of 295 public high schools	63.1%	9				37.4	37.4				36.9	36.9								4.8	11.1	0.0	5.0					36.9	33.3	80.0	37.4	$10,557	$846	$9,710
Hackett High School	Public	7-12	102 N Oak St	Hackett	72937	Sebastian County	Hackett School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 638-7003	327	52	6.3	100.0%	286 (87.5%)	3 (0.9%)	10 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.5%)	59.6	109^th of 305 public high schools	64.3%		54.3	132^nd of 295 public high schools	55.3%	23	15.1	25.0	14.0	38.8	23.0	17.9	29.2	22.0	32.6	25.1	30.4	43.8	36.6	26.5		26.0	0.0	34.0	0.0		32.7	25.0	31.3	27.9		42.5			42.5	$10,156	$1,070	$9,086
Greenwood High School	Public	9-12	440 E Gary St	Greenwood	72936	Sebastian County	Greenwood School District	No	No	No	No	(479) 996-4141	879	112	7.8	19.8%	751 (85.4%)	2 (0.2%)	47 (5.3%)	14 (1.6%)	17 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (5.5%)	87.3	19^th of 305 public high schools	93.8%		95.8	6^th of 295 public high schools	98.0%	13			54.4	44.3	49.5			54.1	45.9	50.1				38.1	12.5	35.0	50.5	11.6	10.0	0.0	26.5				50.0	59.1		100.0	59.1	$10,861	$1,005	$9,855

Frequently Asked Questions about Southside High School

How many students attend Southside High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,956 students attended Southside High School.

What schools feed into Southside High School?

Southside High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Barling Elementary School
Elementary : Beard Elementary School
Elementary : Bonneville Elementary School
Elementary : Carnall Elementary School
Elementary : Cavanaugh Elementary School
Elementary : Elmer H. Cook Elementary School
Elementary : Fairview Elementary School
Elementary : John P. Woods Elementary School
Elementary : Raymond F. Orr Elementary School
Middle : L. A. Chaffin Middle School
Middle : Ramsey Middle School

Is Southside High School a good school?

Southside High School ranks 71^st of 305 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Southside High School in?

Fort Smith School District

What is the racial makeup of Southside High School?

Students at Southside High School are 57% White, 19% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 8% Asian, 5% African American, 1% American Indian.

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Schools in Fort Smith, AR

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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.