Van Buren High School

Q: Is Van Buren High School a good school?

Van Buren High School ranks 100 th of 305 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Van Buren High School is a public high school serving grades 10-12 with a total enrollment of 1,228 students in Van Buren, Arkansas, which is part of the Van Buren School District. The school has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking over the past decade, currently ranking 100th out of 305 Arkansas high schools and rated 3 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Van Buren High School outperforms the state average in several key test score metrics, including English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency, Reading proficiency, and Biology proficiency. However, the school lags behind the state average in Geometry proficiency, particularly for 10th and 11th grades. Additionally, the school has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 47.88%, which is significantly higher than the rates at some nearby schools like Alma High School (37.69%) and Southside High School (47.44%), suggesting that Van Buren High School serves a more economically disadvantaged student population.

Compared to nearby schools, Southside High School consistently outperforms Van Buren High School in test scores, particularly in English Language Arts, Math, and Science, while Alma High School also outperforms Van Buren High School in most test score metrics and has a lower student-teacher ratio. However, Lavaca High School has lower test scores than Van Buren High School in most subject areas.

Detail:

Public 10-12

2001 Pointer Trail
Van Buren, AR 72956

(479) 474-6821

District: Van Buren School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
100^th of 305 Arkansas High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,557

Feeder schools for Van Buren High School:

Elementary:	Central Elementary School
	James R. Tate Elementary School
	King Elementary School
	Oliver Springs Elementary School
	More...
	Parkview Elementary School
	Rena Elementary School
Middle:	Butterfield Trail Middle School
	Northridge Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.6

Number of students: 1,228

Racial breakdown:

White:

66.2%

Hispanic:

20.7%

Two or more races:

5.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 47.9%

See top rated Arkansas high schools

Compare Van Buren High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Van Buren High School ranks better than 67.2% of high schools in Arkansas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.46. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (66.2%), Hispanic (20.7%), two or more races (5.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 47.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Van Buren High School is 11.6. (See more...)

Compare Van Buren High School employs 105.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Van Buren High School is $10,557.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Van Buren High School 100^th of 305 Arkansas public high schools. (See Van Buren High School in the ranking list.)

Van Buren School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Van Buren School District 103^rd of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Van Buren High School.

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Rank History for Van Buren High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AR State Percentile
2006	30.91	169^th	232	27.2%
2007	42.24	145^th	258	43.8%
2008	41.11	156^th	256	39.1%
2009	60.75	69^th	261	73.6%
2010	42.27	161^st	262	38.5%
2011	49.72	137^th	266	48.5%
2012	48.34	141^st	266	47.0%
2013	43.54	165^th	271	39.1%
2014	44.79	165^th	268	38.4%
2015	38.45	157^th	267	41.2%
2016	58.79	96^th	269	64.3%
2017	57.62	102^nd	264	61.4%
2018	71.29	48^th	263	81.7%
2019	72.00	45^th	282	84.0%
2021	72.25	53^rd	290	81.7%
2022	65.95	71^st	282	74.8%
2023	58.83	109^th	295	63.1%
2024	61.46	100^th	305	67.2%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, March 2, 2010

This school offers much more to the students as far as athletics, art, clubs, etc. My nieces have both attended Van Buren and involved in Track, Soccer, JROTC, plays and fine arts, Band, Math Competitions, etc. They have been much more challenged and involved in their school. My children have attended Mountainburg and the only things really focused on in Mountainburg were basketball, track, and football. I wish Mountainburg had more to offer. If your focus is on your child succeeding to be more than just a high school graduate then Van Buren is the best choice. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Van Buren High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	715	12	21	4	7	n/a	n/a	759
1989	717	17	18	8	4	n/a	n/a	764
1990	724	14	34	6	6	n/a	n/a	784
1991	737	15	30	11	11	n/a	n/a	804
1992	780	13	26	11	10	n/a	n/a	840
1993	874	14	29	12	24	n/a	n/a	953
1994	841	9	41	14	28	n/a	n/a	933
1995	840	15	47	22	25	n/a	n/a	949
1996	840	15	47	22	25	n/a	n/a	949
1997	896	18	43	20	18	n/a	n/a	995
1998	896	22	42	29	17	n/a	n/a	1006
1999	913	26	43	34	13	n/a	n/a	1029
2000	873	23	46	37	48	n/a	n/a	1027
2001	889	16	50	40	26	n/a	n/a	1021
2002	974	13	57	86	12	n/a	n/a	1142
2003	974	13	57	86	12	n/a	n/a	1142
2004	993	14	50	102	14	n/a	n/a	1173
2005	991	11	42	110	9	n/a	n/a	1163
2006	971	23	39	120	57	n/a	n/a	1210
2007	986	23	34	153	61	n/a	n/a	1257
2008	1033	20	32	157	69	n/a	n/a	1311
2009	916	22	28	147	71	n/a	n/a	1184
2010	888	20	30	153	29	0	101	1221
2011	925	17	37	169	26	0	89	1263
2012	908	22	40	203	23	0	79	1275
2013	1270	37	50	296	39	1	103	1796
2014	1292	45	46	292	40	4	97	1816
2015	1309	57	48	284	35	5	87	1825
2016	1309	62	48	315	34	5	92	1865
2017	966	47	36	217	26	5	67	1364
2018	883	30	38	207	22	3	85	1268
2019	869	31	36	241	24	1	84	1286
2020	802	28	34	229	20	2	95	1210
2021	660	19	33	211	13	1	65	1002
2022	751	26	43	219	23	1	76	1139
2023	813	30	36	254	27	2	66	1228

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 Van Buren High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	759	41.2	18.4	n/a
1989	764	49.0	15.5	n/a
1990	784	48.0	16.3	6.1
1991	804	44.4	18.1	5.7
1992	840	46.1	18.2	6.1
1993	953	47.8	19.9	5.7
1994	933	47.6	19.6	6.3
1995	949	51.2	18.5	5.8
1996	949	51.2	18.5	5.8
1997	995	49.0	20.3	9.2
1998	1006	49.0	20.5	8.5
1999	1029	46.0	22.4	19.4
2000	1027	63.0	16.3	25
2001	1021	59.0	17.3	23.2
2002	1142	65.0	17.6	27.8
2003	1142	65.0	17.6	27.8
2004	1173	70.0	16.8	30.1
2005	1163	73.0	15.9	33.4
2006	1210	77.0	15.7	36
2007	1257	88.0	14.3	34.3
2008	1311	93.0	14.1	34
2009	1184	89.0	13.3	37.4
2010	1221	85.0	13.2	37.9
2011	1263	88.2	14.3	43.2
2012	1275	88.0	14.4	46
2013	1796	131.3	13.6	49.8
2014	1816	130.6	13.9	53.8
2015	1825	132.0	13.8	59
2016	1865	128.0	14.5	57.4
2017	1364	94.0	14.5	30.8
2018	1268	83.5	15.1	33.2
2019	1286	144.5	8.8	52.4
2020	1210	137.7	8.7	50.9
2021	1002	99.2	10.0	40.4
2022	1139	107.2	10.6	43.9
2023	1228	105.4	11.6	47.9

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 Van Buren High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	759	41.2	18.4	n/a
1989	764	49.0	15.5	n/a
1990	784	48.0	16.3	6.1
1991	804	44.4	18.1	5.7
1992	840	46.1	18.2	6.1
1993	953	47.8	19.9	5.7
1994	933	47.6	19.6	6.3
1995	949	51.2	18.5	5.8
1996	949	51.2	18.5	5.8
1997	995	49.0	20.3	9.2
1998	1006	49.0	20.5	8.5
1999	1029	46.0	22.4	19.4
2000	1027	63.0	16.3	25
2001	1021	59.0	17.3	23.2
2002	1142	65.0	17.6	27.8
2003	1142	65.0	17.6	27.8
2004	1173	70.0	16.8	30.1
2005	1163	73.0	15.9	33.4
2006	1210	77.0	15.7	36
2007	1257	88.0	14.3	34.3
2008	1311	93.0	14.1	34
2009	1184	89.0	13.3	37.4
2010	1221	85.0	13.2	37.9
2011	1263	88.2	14.3	43.2
2012	1275	88.0	14.4	46
2013	1796	131.3	13.6	49.8
2014	1816	130.6	13.9	53.8
2015	1825	132.0	13.8	59
2016	1865	128.0	14.5	57.4
2017	1364	94.0	14.5	30.8
2018	1268	83.5	15.1	33.2
2019	1286	144.5	8.8	52.4
2020	1210	137.7	8.7	50.9
2021	1002	99.2	10.0	40.4
2022	1139	107.2	10.6	43.9
2023	1228	105.4	11.6	47.9

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 Van Buren High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$846 (8.0%)	$9,710 (92.0%)	$10,557

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Van Buren 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 45^th of 282 High schools	Ranks 109^th of 295 High schools	21%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English (Van Buren High School)	65.8	56.5	9.3%
10th Grade English (Van Buren School District)	66.4	56	10.4%
10th Grade English (Arkansas)	59.6	54.4	5.2%
10th Grade Math (Van Buren High School)	33.7	25	8.7%
10th Grade Math (Van Buren School District)	34.1	24.1	10%
10th Grade Math (Arkansas)	29.2	20.4	8.8%
10th Grade Science (Van Buren High School)	38.1	27.5	10.6%
10th Grade Science (Van Buren School District)	38.5	26.4	12.1%
10th Grade Science (Arkansas)	33	28.6	4.4%
10th Grade Reading (Van Buren High School)	33.4	33.4
10th Grade Reading (Van Buren School District)	33.6	32.2	1.4%
10th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	32.2	35.9	3.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Van Buren High School)	29	24.8	4.2%
11th Grade Mathematics (Van Buren School District)	28.8	24.2	4.6%
11th Grade English (Van Buren High School)	51.2	52.1	0.9%
11th Grade English (Van Buren School District)	51.2	51.1	0.1%
11th Grade Reading (Van Buren High School)	35.5	33.3	2.2%
11th Grade Reading (Van Buren School District)	35.6	32.9	2.7%
11th Grade Science (Van Buren High School)	28.1	27.5	0.6%
11th Grade Science (Van Buren School District)	27.8	26.8	1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1286	1228	4.5%
African American	31	30	3.2%
American Indian	24	27	12.5%
Asian	36	36
Hispanic	241	254	5.4%
Pacific Islander	1	2	100%
White	869	813	6.4%
Two or More Races	84	66	21.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	52.4%	47.9%	4.5%

Schools Near Van Buren 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 8th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 9th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 10th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 8th Grade	ATLAS Reading 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading 10th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Algebra 9th 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 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
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
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
Alma High School	Public	9-12	101 E Main	Alma	72921	Crawford County	Alma School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 632-2162	1,003	110	9.1	37.7%	847 (84.4%)	18 (1.8%)	39 (3.9%)	11 (1.1%)	21 (2.1%)	1 (0.1%)	66 (6.6%)	73.8	46^th of 305 public high schools	84.9%		78.5	41^st of 295 public high schools	86.1%	5		35.7	39.5	37.7		36.1	40.0	38.1		31.9	31.6	74.4	14.3	2.7	0.0	21.7				45.2	50.0	0.0	45.1	$10,496	$1,051	$9,444
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
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
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
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
Cedarville High School	Public	9-12	9530 Pirates Point	Cedarville	72932	Crawford County	Cedarville School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 474-7021	241	25	9.5	98.8%	201 (83.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.9%)	1 (0.4%)	8 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (10.0%)	45.5	164^th of 305 public high schools	46.2%		38.6	194^th of 295 public high schools	34.2%	30		32.3	20.3	26.1		32.3	21.9	26.9		29.5	26.9	100.0	5.3		0.0	6.7				25.3	0.0	66.7	26.9	$13,026	$689	$12,337
Lavaca High School	Public	9-12	311 Holly St	Lavaca	72941	Sebastian County	Lavaca School District	No	No	No	No	(479) 674-5612	260	49	5.2	43.5%	211 (81.2%)	2 (0.8%)	23 (8.8%)	1 (0.4%)	6 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.5%)	36.1	203^rd of 305 public high schools	33.4%		37.9	199^th of 295 public high schools	32.5%	4		30.2	19.1	24.4		31.8	22.1	26.8		7.2	7.0	14.3	4.2	0.0		7.0				28.7	0.0	0.0	27.5	$10,815	$676	$10,139

Frequently Asked Questions about Van Buren High School

How many students attend Van Buren High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,228 students attended Van Buren High School.

What schools feed into Van Buren High School?

Van Buren High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Central Elementary School
Elementary : James R. Tate Elementary School
Elementary : King Elementary School
Elementary : Oliver Springs Elementary School
Elementary : Parkview Elementary School
Elementary : Rena Elementary School
Middle : Butterfield Trail Middle School
Middle : Northridge Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Van Buren High School?

Students at Van Buren High School are 66% White, 21% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 2% African American, 2% American Indian.

Is Van Buren High School a good school?

Van Buren High School ranks 100^th of 305 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Van Buren High School in?

Van Buren 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.