Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Decatur

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
C−

Decatur School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12

Serves Decatur, and parts of Centerton.

Decatur’s School Grade C− better than 16% of Arkansas school districts

Students
613
Schools
3
Spent per student
$13,679
AR $13,585
Students per teacher
10:1
Free or reduced lunch
100%
Debt
$9M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Decatur School District

  • Its letter, C−: results better than 16% of Arkansas districts
  • Math proficiency 18 pts below the state
  • Reading proficiency 11 pts below the state
  • Graduation rate 5 pts above the state
  • 10 students per teacher
  • Enrollment up 7.2% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $9M, about $14,648 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

C−: better than 16% of the 261 Arkansas school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well below the state, 2021–22
C−
The town it serves, and its School Grade
C−Decatur 1,893

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Decatur. Grade by grade →

PK–4Decatur Northside ElementaryThis district
5–8Decatur Middle SchoolThis district
9–12Decatur High SchoolThis district

Test scores vs. AR

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency20%
State average 38.3% · 350 students tested
Reading / language arts29%
State average 39.9% · 350 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)90–100%
State average 89.9% · 35 in the class · small group: the state reports a range

100% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$13,679 per student · 1% above AR
Spending
Classroom instruction 54%Support & administration 39%Other 7%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 12%State 76%Federal 12%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
572’20
610’21
619’22
608’23
613’24

Up 7.2% since 2020–21.

Students
Hispanic 43%White 42%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 5%Asian 5%American Indian/Alaska Native 3%Two or more races 1%Black 1%

Schools in the district

3 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Arkansas’s other public schools.

Decatur Northside Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Decatur
B
278 students14:1
Decatur Middle School
Middle · Grades 5–8 · Decatur
C+
162 students12:1
Decatur High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Decatur
D
173 students6:1

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Bentonville Public SchoolsBentonville, Highfill
$12,660per student
Gentry Public SchoolsHighfill
$13,574per student

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Arkansas.