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 2026 school year, there are 10 public schools serving 5,703 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.
Public Schools 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 37% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Arkansas public school average of 43% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (AR)
# Schools
11 Schools
1,106 Schools
# Students
5,703 Students
491,000 Students
# Teachers
417 Teachers
39,254 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 256 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.
Overall District Rank
#66 out of 258 school districts
(Top 30%)
(Top 30%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
43%
39%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
44%
40%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
37%
36%
Graduation Rate
93%
88%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.56
0.62
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
2%
2%
% Hispanic
22%
15%
% Black
2%
19%
% White
63%
57%
% Hawaiian
n/a
1%
% Two or more races
10%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $12,365 in this school district is less than the state median of $12,975. The school district revenue/student has grown by 7% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $12,063 is less than the state median of $12,887. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$71 MM
$6,371 MM
Spending
$69 MM
$6,327 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,365
$12,975
Spending / Student
$12,063
$12,887
Best Van Buren School District Public Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Parkview Elementary School
(Math: 65% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
619 Parkview
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-8730
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-8730
Gr: K-5 | 437 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 36%
Rank: #22.
Northridge Middle School
(Math: 59% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
120 Northridge Drive
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3126
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3126
Gr: 6-8 | 713 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 30%
Rank: #33.
Rena Elementary School
(Math: 65% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
720 Rena Road
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3190
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3190
Gr: K-5 | 414 students Student-teacher ratio: 20:1 Minority enrollment: 33%
Rank: #44.
Oliver Springs Elementary School
(Math: 55% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
505 Northridge Drive East
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3120
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3120
Gr: K-5 | 441 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 33%
Rank: #55.
King Elementary School
(Math: 37% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
411 North 20th St
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-2661
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-2661
Gr: PK-5 | 437 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 59%
Rank: #66.
Butterfield Trail Middle School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
310 North 11 St
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-6838
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-6838
Gr: 6-8 | 557 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 44%
Rank: #77.
Van Buren High School
(Math: 25% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
2001 Pointer Trail
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-6821
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-6821
Gr: 10-12 | 1,232 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 39%
Rank: #88.
Van Buren Freshman Academy
(Math: 28% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
821 Pointer Trail East
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3160
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3160
Gr: 9 | 468 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: #99.
Central Elementary School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 29%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
913 N 24 St
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-7059
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-7059
Gr: K-5 | 466 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 37%
Rank: #1010.
James R. Tate Elementary School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
406 Catcher Road
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3130
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3130
Gr: PK-5 | 459 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 31%
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools belong to Van Buren School District?
Van Buren School District manages 10 public schools serving 5,703 students.
What is the rank of Van Buren School District?
Van Buren School District is ranked #69 out of 256 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?
63% of Van Buren School District students are White, 22% 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 12:1.
What is Van Buren School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $12,063 is less than the state median of $12,887. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
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