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Van Buren School District

2221 Pointer Trail E
Van Buren, AR 72956
(District boundaries shown in map)
8/
10
Top 30%

Top Rankings

Van Buren School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Arkansas for:

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025-26 school year, there are 11 public schools serving 5,809 students in Van Buren School District. This district's average testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public schools in Arkansas.
51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏ in Van Buren School District have an average math proficiency score of 43% (versus the Arkansas public school average of 39%), and reading proficiency score of 44% (versus the 40% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 36% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Arkansas public school average of 42% (majority Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (AR)
# Schools
11 Schools
1,110 Schools
# Students
5,809 Students
485,111 Students
# Teachers
428 Teachers
38,779 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Van Buren School District, which is ranked within the top 30% of all 257 school districts in Arkansas (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 93% has increased from 87% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (AR)
#66 out of 258 school districts
(Top 30%)
43%
39%
44%
40%
37%
36%
93%
88%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.54
0.61
% American Indian
1%
n/a
% Asian
2%
2%
% Hispanic
21%
15%
% Black
2%
19%
% White
64%
58%
% Hawaiian
n/a
1%
% Two or more races
10%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $12,140 in this school district is less than the state median of $13,132. The school district revenue/student has declined by 5% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,842 is less than the state median of $13,043. The school district spending/student has declined by 5% over four school years.
This School District
This State (AR)
Total Revenue
$71 MM
$6,371 MM
Spending
$69 MM
$6,327 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,140
$13,132
Spending / Student
$11,842
$13,043

Best Van Buren School District 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏ (2025-26)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Parkview Elementary School
(Math: 65% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
605 Parkview St
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-8730
Gr: K-5 | 436 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 34%
Rank: #22.
Northridge Middle School
(Math: 59% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
120 Northridge Dr
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3126
Gr: 6-8 | 739 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 31%
Rank: #33.
Rena Elementary School
(Math: 65% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
720 Rena Rd
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3190
Gr: K-5 | 412 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 33%
Rank: #44.
Oliver Springs Elementary School
(Math: 55% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
505 Northridge Drive East
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3120
Gr: K-5 | 463 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 30%
Rank: #55.
King Elementary School
(Math: 37% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
400 N 19th St
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-2661
Gr: PK-5 | 443 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 54%
Rank: #66.
Butterfield Trail Middle School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
310 N 11th St
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-6838
Gr: 6-8 | 558 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 42%
Rank: #77.
Van Buren High School
(Math: 25% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
2001 Pointer Trail
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-6821
Gr: 10-12 | 1,228 student Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 37%
Rank: #88.
Van Buren Freshman Academy
(Math: 28% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
821 Pointer Trail
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3160
Gr: 9 | 470 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 37%
Rank: #99.
Central Elementary School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 29%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
501 N 24th St
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-3150
Gr: K-5 | 489 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 37%
Rank: #1010.
James R. Tate Elem. School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
406 Catcher Rd
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3130
Gr: PK-5 | 466 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 28%
Rank: #1111.
River Valley Virtual Academy
Charter School
(Math: 15-19% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
60 Northridge Drive
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3165
Gr: K-12 | 105 students Student-teacher ratio: 3:1 Minority enrollment: 14%

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Van Buren School District?
Van Buren School District manages 11 public schools serving 5,809 students.
What is the rank of Van Buren School District?
Van Buren School District is ranked #68 out of 257 school districts in Arkansas (top 30%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2022-2023 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of Arkansas school districts for: Highest graduation rate (Top 5%) and Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Van Buren School District?
64% of Van Buren School District students are White, 21% of students are Hispanic, 10% of students are Two or more races, 2% of students are Asian, 2% of students are Black, and 1% of students are American Indian.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Van Buren School District?
Van Buren School District has a student/teacher ratio of 14:1, which is higher than the Arkansas state average of 13:1.
What is Van Buren School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $11,842 is less than the state median of $13,043. The school district spending/student has declined by 5% over four school years.

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Quick Facts (2025-26)

  • District size: 11 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 5,809 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 14:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 36%
  • : 93% (Top 5% in AR)
  • : Top 30%
  • : 43% (Top 30%)
  • : 44% (Top 30%)
  • : 37% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), AR Dept. of Education

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