Shirley Elementary School

Summary:

Shirley Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 180 students in grades K-6 in the rural town of Shirley, Arkansas. The school is part of the Shirley School District, which is ranked 197 out of 252 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Shirley Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Arkansas elementary schools over the past decade, with a ranking between 204 and 412 out of around 500 schools. The school significantly underperforms the state average in academic proficiency, with only 24.8% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, 22.2% in Mathematics, and 20.4% in Science, compared to the state averages of 33.8%, 36.4%, and 35.6% respectively. Additionally, Shirley Elementary has a 100% free/reduced lunch rate, indicating a very high-poverty student population.

When comparing Shirley Elementary to the nearby schools, such as Clinton Elementary, which had a 47.2% proficiency rate in English Language Arts in 2023-2024, it is clear that Shirley is significantly underperforming. The school's performance has also declined over the past decade, dropping from a 3-star rating in 2014-2015 to a 1-star rating in recent years. This combination of high poverty and low performance suggests the need for targeted resources and support to address the unique challenges faced by the Shirley Elementary community.

Detail:

Public K-6

154 School Dr
Shirley, AR 72153

(501) 518-2223

District: Shirley School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
384^th of 497 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,972

Students who attend Shirley Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Shirley High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.1

Number of students: 181

Racial breakdown:

White:

96.1%

African American:

1.7%

American Indian:

1.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.4%

See top rated Arkansas elementary schools

Compare Shirley Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Shirley Elementary School ranks worse than 77.3% of elementary schools in Arkansas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.03. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (96.1%), African American (1.7%), American Indian (1.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Shirley Elementary School is 12.1. (See more...)

Compare Shirley Elementary School employs 14.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Shirley Elementary School is $11,972.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Shirley School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Shirley School District 197^th of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Shirley Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AR State Percentile
2005	56.51	204^th	411	50.4%
2006	61.28	175^th	402	56.5%
2007	58.70	200^th	440	54.5%
2008	73.60	105^th	439	76.1%
2009	46.25	282^nd	445	36.6%
2010	54.92	245^th	457	46.4%
2011	50.25	279^th	471	40.8%
2012	54.95	255^th	468	45.5%
2013	38.00	354^th	476	25.6%
2014	43.50	322^nd	471	31.6%
2015	52.11	204^th	466	56.2%
2016	45.42	297^th	494	39.9%
2017	34.91	343^rd	485	29.3%
2018	46.30	278^th	480	42.1%
2019	55.62	237^th	488	51.4%
2021	19.36	412^th	496	16.9%
2022	29.48	366^th	487	24.8%
2023	33.74	351^st	492	28.7%
2024	28.03	384^th	497	22.7%

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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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Shirley Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	268	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	268
1989	249	n/a	2	2	n/a	n/a	n/a	253
1990	264	1	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	268
1991	270	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	273
1992	278	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	279
1993	261	1	0	8	1	n/a	n/a	271
1994	267	0	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	270
1995	260	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	260
1996	260	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	260
1997	289	0	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	291
1998	253	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	253
1999	251	1	3	0	3	n/a	n/a	258
2000	249	2	3	0	3	n/a	n/a	257
2001	272	1	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	277
2002	289	7	3	0	2	n/a	n/a	301
2003	289	7	3	0	2	n/a	n/a	301
2004	269	7	2	1	2	n/a	n/a	281
2005	281	5	1	1	2	n/a	n/a	290
2006	279	10	1	1	2	n/a	n/a	293
2007	276	4	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	283
2008	288	4	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	294
2009	282	2	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	287
2010	249	2	0	4	3	2	0	260
2011	243	4	0	3	4	1	0	255
2012	233	2	0	5	5	2	0	247
2013	199	1	0	0	5	1	0	206
2014	212	0	1	0	6	0	0	219
2015	199	1	2	5	4	0	0	211
2016	182	2	2	4	6	0	0	196
2017	183	4	2	4	3	0	0	196
2018	169	1	2	4	2	0	1	179
2019	167	3	2	3	0	0	1	176
2020	173	7	2	3	0	0	1	186
2021	170	3	2	3	0	1	1	180
2022	183	3	1	3	1	1	0	192
2023	172	4	0	1	2	1	0	180
2024	174	3	0	1	2	1	0	181

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 Shirley Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	268	16.4	16.3	n/a
1989	253	16.0	15.8	n/a
1990	268	19.0	14.1	67.5
1991	273	19.3	14.1	62.3
1992	279	19.0	14.6	75.3
1993	271	17.6	15.4	70.5
1994	270	18.6	14.5	75.6
1995	260	16.6	15.7	78.5
1996	260	16.6	15.7	78.5
1997	291	17.0	17.1	77.3
1998	253	17.0	14.9	65.6
1999	258	14.6	17.7	78.7
2000	257	24.0	10.7	73.2
2001	277	19.0	14.6	49.5
2002	301	25.0	12.0	75.1
2003	301	25.0	12.0	75.1
2004	281	24.0	11.7	75.8
2005	290	25.0	11.6	80.7
2006	293	21.0	14.0	79.2
2007	283	28.0	10.1	84.1
2008	294	30.0	9.8	72.8
2009	287	25.0	11.5	77.4
2010	260	27.2	10.4	82.3
2011	255	24.1	10.5	82.7
2012	247	23.1	10.6	82.2
2013	206	21.1	9.7	82.5
2014	219	21.0	10.3	78.5
2015	211	21.0	10.0	85.8
2016	196	20.0	9.8	100
2017	196	17.9	10.8	46.4
2018	179	19.5	9.1	55.9
2019	176	16.9	10.4	100
2020	186	15.0	12.3	100
2021	180	13.9	12.8	100
2022	192	15.7	12.2	100
2023	180	15.8	11.3	100
2024	181	14.9	12.1	99.4

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 Shirley Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	268	16.4	16.3	n/a
1989	253	16.0	15.8	n/a
1990	268	19.0	14.1	67.5
1991	273	19.3	14.1	62.3
1992	279	19.0	14.6	75.3
1993	271	17.6	15.4	70.5
1994	270	18.6	14.5	75.6
1995	260	16.6	15.7	78.5
1996	260	16.6	15.7	78.5
1997	291	17.0	17.1	77.3
1998	253	17.0	14.9	65.6
1999	258	14.6	17.7	78.7
2000	257	24.0	10.7	73.2
2001	277	19.0	14.6	49.5
2002	301	25.0	12.0	75.1
2003	301	25.0	12.0	75.1
2004	281	24.0	11.7	75.8
2005	290	25.0	11.6	80.7
2006	293	21.0	14.0	79.2
2007	283	28.0	10.1	84.1
2008	294	30.0	9.8	72.8
2009	287	25.0	11.5	77.4
2010	260	27.2	10.4	82.3
2011	255	24.1	10.5	82.7
2012	247	23.1	10.6	82.2
2013	206	21.1	9.7	82.5
2014	219	21.0	10.3	78.5
2015	211	21.0	10.0	85.8
2016	196	20.0	9.8	100
2017	196	17.9	10.8	46.4
2018	179	19.5	9.1	55.9
2019	176	16.9	10.4	100
2020	186	15.0	12.3	100
2021	180	13.9	12.8	100
2022	192	15.7	12.2	100
2023	180	15.8	11.3	100
2024	181	14.9	12.1	99.4

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 Shirley Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,772 (23.2%)	$9,201 (76.9%)	$11,972

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Shirley 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 237^th of 488 Elementary schools	Ranks 351^st of 492 Elementary schools	22.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English (Shirley Elementary School)	88.9	85.1	3.8%
3rd Grade English (Shirley School District)	88.9	85.1	3.8%
3rd Grade English (Arkansas)	72.4	62.6	9.8%
3rd Grade Math (Shirley Elementary School)	72.2	63	9.2%
3rd Grade Math (Shirley School District)	72.2	63	9.2%
3rd Grade Math (Arkansas)	62.1	54.4	7.7%
3rd Grade Science (Shirley Elementary School)	50	29.6	20.4%
3rd Grade Science (Shirley School District)	50	29.6	20.4%
3rd Grade Science (Arkansas)	39.4	35	4.4%
3rd Grade Reading (Shirley Elementary School)	38.9	14.8	24.1%
3rd Grade Reading (Shirley School District)	38.9	14.8	24.1%
3rd Grade Reading (Arkansas)	38.3	32.2	6.1%
4th Grade English (Shirley Elementary School)	62.5	54	8.5%
4th Grade English (Shirley School District)	62.5	54	8.5%
4th Grade English (Arkansas)	69.6	63.3	6.3%
4th Grade Math (Shirley Elementary School)	54.1	27	27.1%
4th Grade Math (Shirley School District)	54.1	27	27.1%
4th Grade Math (Arkansas)	53.8	48.6	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Shirley Elementary School)	37.5	27	10.5%
4th Grade Science (Shirley School District)	37.5	27	10.5%
4th Grade Science (Arkansas)	42.3	38.5	3.8%
4th Grade Reading (Shirley Elementary School)	33.4	16.2	17.2%
4th Grade Reading (Shirley School District)	33.4	16.2	17.2%
4th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	45.3	42	3.3%
5th Grade English (Shirley Elementary School)	75	75
5th Grade English (Shirley School District)	75	75
5th Grade English (Arkansas)	73.3	70.2	3.1%
5th Grade Math (Shirley Elementary School)	50.1	5	45.1%
5th Grade Math (Shirley School District)	50.1	5	45.1%
5th Grade Math (Arkansas)	49.2	40.7	8.5%
5th Grade Science (Shirley Elementary School)	43.8	20	23.8%
5th Grade Science (Shirley School District)	43.8	20	23.8%
5th Grade Science (Arkansas)	40.7	34.6	6.1%
5th Grade Reading (Shirley Elementary School)	43.8	20	23.8%
5th Grade Reading (Shirley School District)	43.8	20	23.8%
5th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	41	36.8	4.2%
6th Grade English (Shirley Elementary School)	82.6	76	6.6%
6th Grade English (Shirley School District)	82.6	76	6.6%
6th Grade English (Arkansas)	72.8	67.6	5.2%
6th Grade Math (Shirley Elementary School)	43.5	16	27.5%
6th Grade Math (Shirley School District)	43.5	16	27.5%
6th Grade Math (Arkansas)	53.7	47	6.7%
6th Grade Science (Shirley Elementary School)	52.1	24	28.1%
6th Grade Science (Shirley School District)	52.1	24	28.1%
6th Grade Science (Arkansas)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
6th Grade Reading (Shirley Elementary School)	34.8	36	1.2%
6th Grade Reading (Shirley School District)	34.8	36	1.2%
6th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	43.1	39	4.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	176	180	2.3%
African American	3	4	33.3%
American Indian	0	2
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	3	1	66.7%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	167	172	3%
Two or More Races	1	0	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Shirley 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 6th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 3rd Grade	ATLAS Reading 4th Grade	ATLAS Reading 5th Grade	ATLAS Reading 6th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 5th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 6th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Science 3rd Grade	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science 5th Grade	ATLAS Science 6th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Shirley Elementary School	Public	K-6	154 School Dr	Shirley	72153	Van Buren County	Shirley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 518-2223	181	15	12.1	99.4%	174 (96.1%)	3 (1.7%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	28	384^th of 497 public elementary schools	22.7%		33.7	351^st of 492 public elementary schools	28.7%	33	29.6	18.5	15.4	45.0	24.8	29.6	18.5	23.1	40.0	26.5	7.4	44.4	15.4	25.0	22.2	25.9	29.6	12.8	15.0	20.4	$11,972	$2,772	$9,201
Rural Special Elementary School	Public	K-6	13237 Hwy 263	Fox	72051	Stone County	Mountain View School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 363-4365	113	11	10.6	97.3%	107 (94.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.7%)	48.8	266^th of 497 public elementary schools	46.5%		71.8	138^th of 492 public elementary schools	72.0%	128		10.5	40.9	35.7	30.1		21.1	45.4	28.5	33.3		26.3	54.5	42.8	39.7		15.8	50.0	7.1	27.0	$10,570	$1,765	$8,806
West Side Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	7295 Greers Ferry Rd	Greers Ferry	72067	Cleburne County	West Side School Dist(Cleburne)	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 825-7744	290	22	13.2	100.0%	278 (95.9%)	2 (0.7%)	6 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.4%)	60.1	205^th of 497 public elementary schools	58.8%		63.3	182^nd of 492 public elementary schools	63.0%	23	33.3	50.0	45.7	42.3	42.4	33.3	51.5	48.6	42.3	43.6	30.7	33.3	42.9	26.9	33.9	28.2	53.2	22.9	38.5	34.9	$12,166	$2,130	$10,036
Clinton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	760 Yellowjacket Ln	Clinton	72031	Van Buren County	Clinton School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 745-6046	568	40	14.2	95.6%	501 (88.2%)	3 (0.5%)	53 (9.3%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.2%)	76.8	99^th of 497 public elementary schools	80.1%		73.1	126^th of 492 public elementary schools	74.4%	27	48.8	46.5	46.0		47.2	47.6	49.3	43.8		46.7	46.4	60.5	41.5		48.7	51.2	42.2	38.2		43.8	$11,353	$3,480	$7,873
Timbo Elementary School	Public	K-6	23747 Hwy 263 N	Timbo	72680	Stone County	Mountain View School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 746-4303	104	9	11.8	97.1%	100 (96.2%)	1 (1.0%)	3 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51.3	247^th of 497 public elementary schools	50.3%		66.8	160^th of 492 public elementary schools	67.5%	87	21.4	33.4	27.3	60.0	32.8	14.2	33.4	27.2	60.0	31.3	50.0	50.0	31.8	60.0	45.3	28.6	50.0	22.7	40.0	34.4	$10,531	$3,251	$7,279
South Side Elementary School	Public	K-6	334 Southside Rd	Bee Branch	72013	Van Buren County	South Side School District(Vanburen)	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 654-2200	234	18	12.9	60.7%	213 (91.0%)	3 (1.3%)	5 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.6%)	57.4	221^st of 497 public elementary schools	55.5%		55.4	232^nd of 492 public elementary schools	52.8%	11	20.0	39.4	45.1	40.5	35.6	17.5	39.4	48.4	38.1	34.9	37.5	57.6	38.7	31.0	40.4	20.0	48.5	45.2	40.5	37.7	$12,499	$3,101	$9,398
Mountain View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	201 Elementary Dr	Mountain View	72560	Stone County	Mountain View School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 269-3104	491	34	14.6	99.4%	474 (96.5%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.0%)	77.3	93^rd of 497 public elementary schools	81.3%		57.1	222^nd of 492 public elementary schools	54.9%	129	40.0	45.0			42.6	46.6	47.6			47.1	49.4	52.5			51.0	42.7	53.8			48.4	$9,723	$2,326	$7,397
Heber Springs Elementary School	Public	K-5	901 Front	Heber Springs	72543	Cleburne County	Heber Springs School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 362-8155	689	51	13.5	60.4%	629 (91.3%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.3%)	4 (0.6%)	5 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	27 (3.9%)	76.6	100^th of 497 public elementary schools	79.9%		71.5	139^th of 492 public elementary schools	71.7%	39	53.3	48.0	43.6		48.3	54.1	44.7	44.4		47.9	44.3	51.4	27.8		40.5	54.1	50.5	46.0		50.1	$9,164	$2,357	$6,807

Frequently Asked Questions about Shirley Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Shirley Elementary School attend?

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

High : Shirley High School

What district is Shirley Elementary School in?

Shirley School District

Is Shirley Elementary School a good school?

Shirley Elementary School ranks in the bottom 22.7% of Arkansas elementary schools.

How many students attend Shirley Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 181 students attended Shirley Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Shirley Elementary School?

Students at Shirley Elementary School are 96% White, 2% African American, 1% American Indian.

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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.