Bearden Elementary School

Q: Is Bearden Elementary School a good school?

Bearden Elementary School ranks 368 th of 497 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Bearden Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 258 students in grades K-6 in Bearden, Arkansas. The school is part of the Bearden School District, which is ranked 222 out of 252 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Bearden Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Arkansas elementary schools over the past decade.

Bearden Elementary School significantly underperforms the state average in academic proficiency across all subjects and grade levels. In 2023-2024, only 27.8% of Bearden students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 33.8%. In math, the proficiency rate was just 22.1% compared to 36.4% statewide. This stark disparity is also evident when comparing Bearden to nearby schools like Harmony Grove Elementary, which had 39.1% of students proficient in English Language Arts. Bearden's high poverty rate, with 73.64% to 76.26% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, may be a contributing factor to its academic struggles.

Despite the challenges, Bearden Elementary's low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 13.5 to 15 over the past few years, suggests there may be an opportunity to provide more individualized attention and support to students. Addressing the school's socioeconomic factors and resource allocation through targeted interventions could be key to improving student outcomes and the school's overall standing within the Bearden School District.

Detail:

Public K-6

100 Oak Ave
Bearden, AR 71720

(870) 687-2237

District: Bearden School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
368^th of 497 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,679

Students who attend Bearden Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Bearden High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.9

Number of students: 227

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.8%

African American:

33.5%

Two or more races:

5.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 98.7%

See top rated Arkansas elementary schools

Compare Bearden Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Bearden Elementary School ranks worse than 74% of elementary schools in Arkansas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.96. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (56.8%), African American (33.5%), two or more races (5.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 98.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bearden Elementary School is 12.9. (See more...)

Compare Bearden Elementary School employs 17.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bearden Elementary School is $9,679.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Bearden School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Bearden School District 222^nd of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Bearden Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AR State Percentile
2005	38.77	297^th	411	27.7%
2006	40.99	281^st	402	30.1%
2007	30.89	345^th	440	21.6%
2008	42.20	306^th	439	30.3%
2009	42.72	295^th	445	33.7%
2010	32.55	356^th	457	22.1%
2011	33.46	365^th	471	22.5%
2012	41.40	340^th	468	27.4%
2013	32.52	371^st	476	22.1%
2014	31.11	379^th	471	19.5%
2015	19.96	405^th	466	13.1%
2016	30.54	383^rd	494	22.5%
2017	44.14	289^th	485	40.4%
2018	42.73	301^st	480	37.3%
2019	45.68	300^th	488	38.5%
2021	30.71	365^th	496	26.4%
2022	28.23	373^rd	487	23.4%
2023	30.85	363^rd	492	26.2%
2024	31.96	368^th	497	26.0%

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 Bearden Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	231	165	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	396
1989	248	169	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	417
1990	219	165	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	385
1991	237	166	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	403
1992	223	175	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	398
1993	210	155	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	365
1994	141	106	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	247
1995	156	108	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	264
1996	156	108	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	264
1997	162	100	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	262
1998	159	101	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	260
1999	136	90	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	227
2000	135	100	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	236
2001	121	80	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	202
2002	146	97	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	245
2003	146	97	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	245
2004	142	99	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	243
2005	137	91	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	229
2006	149	89	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	241
2007	130	91	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	225
2008	115	94	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	212
2009	120	89	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	213
2010	158	118	0	9	0	0	0	285
2011	156	117	0	7	0	0	0	280
2012	158	117	0	10	0	0	1	286
2013	151	117	0	9	0	0	2	279
2014	130	125	0	10	0	0	2	267
2015	139	105	0	13	0	0	2	259
2016	128	91	0	16	0	0	1	236
2017	135	88	1	11	0	0	7	242
2018	143	93	1	12	0	0	16	265
2019	132	97	1	13	0	0	18	261
2020	138	113	2	9	0	0	14	276
2021	148	106	1	8	0	0	16	279
2022	147	105	1	6	0	0	19	278
2023	136	95	0	7	0	0	20	258
2024	129	76	1	8	0	0	13	227

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 Bearden Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	396	21.3	18.5	n/a
1989	417	20.0	20.8	n/a
1990	385	24.0	16.0	37.4
1991	403	21.7	18.5	40.7
1992	398	20.9	19.0	44
1993	365	20.5	17.8	42.5
1994	247	16.2	15.2	51.8
1995	264	15.6	16.9	51.5
1996	264	15.6	16.9	51.5
1997	262	15.4	17.0	51.9
1998	260	15.4	16.9	53.5
1999	227	15.0	15.1	59
2000	236	19.0	12.4	70.8
2001	202	21.0	9.6	55.9
2002	245	22.0	11.1	62.4
2003	245	22.0	11.1	62.4
2004	243	21.0	11.6	61.7
2005	229	22.0	10.4	66.8
2006	241	18.0	13.4	71.8
2007	225	21.0	10.7	72.4
2008	212	22.0	9.6	78.3
2009	213	19.0	11.2	79.8
2010	285	25.5	12.9	74.4
2011	280	21.9	12.7	76.1
2012	286	20.1	14.1	81.1
2013	279	21.5	12.9	80.3
2014	267	19.8	13.4	78.7
2015	259	22.0	11.7	77.6
2016	236	20.0	11.8	77.1
2017	242	21.8	11.0	35.1
2018	265	21.6	12.2	37.4
2019	261	20.8	12.5	74.7
2020	276	21.0	13.1	77.5
2021	279	19.5	14.2	73.8
2022	278	18.4	15.0	76.3
2023	258	19.0	13.5	73.6
2024	227	17.5	12.9	98.7

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 Bearden Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	396	21.3	18.5	n/a
1989	417	20.0	20.8	n/a
1990	385	24.0	16.0	37.4
1991	403	21.7	18.5	40.7
1992	398	20.9	19.0	44
1993	365	20.5	17.8	42.5
1994	247	16.2	15.2	51.8
1995	264	15.6	16.9	51.5
1996	264	15.6	16.9	51.5
1997	262	15.4	17.0	51.9
1998	260	15.4	16.9	53.5
1999	227	15.0	15.1	59
2000	236	19.0	12.4	70.8
2001	202	21.0	9.6	55.9
2002	245	22.0	11.1	62.4
2003	245	22.0	11.1	62.4
2004	243	21.0	11.6	61.7
2005	229	22.0	10.4	66.8
2006	241	18.0	13.4	71.8
2007	225	21.0	10.7	72.4
2008	212	22.0	9.6	78.3
2009	213	19.0	11.2	79.8
2010	285	25.5	12.9	74.4
2011	280	21.9	12.7	76.1
2012	286	20.1	14.1	81.1
2013	279	21.5	12.9	80.3
2014	267	19.8	13.4	78.7
2015	259	22.0	11.7	77.6
2016	236	20.0	11.8	77.1
2017	242	21.8	11.0	35.1
2018	265	21.6	12.2	37.4
2019	261	20.8	12.5	74.7
2020	276	21.0	13.1	77.5
2021	279	19.5	14.2	73.8
2022	278	18.4	15.0	76.3
2023	258	19.0	13.5	73.6
2024	227	17.5	12.9	98.7

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 Bearden Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,484 (15.3%)	$8,195 (84.7%)	$9,679

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bearden 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 300^th of 488 Elementary schools	Ranks 363^rd of 492 Elementary schools	12.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English (Bearden Elementary School)	67.5	51.2	16.3%
3rd Grade English (Bearden School District)	67.5	51.2	16.3%
3rd Grade English (Arkansas)	72.4	62.6	9.8%
3rd Grade Math (Bearden Elementary School)	67.6	37.2	30.4%
3rd Grade Math (Bearden School District)	67.6	37.2	30.4%
3rd Grade Math (Arkansas)	62.1	54.4	7.7%
3rd Grade Science (Bearden Elementary School)	37.8	27.9	9.9%
3rd Grade Science (Bearden School District)	37.8	27.9	9.9%
3rd Grade Science (Arkansas)	39.4	35	4.4%
3rd Grade Reading (Bearden Elementary School)	29.7	11.7	18%
3rd Grade Reading (Bearden School District)	29.7	11.7	18%
3rd Grade Reading (Arkansas)	38.3	32.2	6.1%
4th Grade English (Bearden Elementary School)	69.3	44.4	24.9%
4th Grade English (Bearden School District)	69.3	44.4	24.9%
4th Grade English (Arkansas)	69.6	63.3	6.3%
4th Grade Math (Bearden Elementary School)	64.1	33.3	30.8%
4th Grade Math (Bearden School District)	64.1	33.3	30.8%
4th Grade Math (Arkansas)	53.8	48.6	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Bearden Elementary School)	41	22.2	18.8%
4th Grade Science (Bearden School District)	41	22.2	18.8%
4th Grade Science (Arkansas)	42.3	38.5	3.8%
4th Grade Reading (Bearden Elementary School)	43.6	29.6	14%
4th Grade Reading (Bearden School District)	43.6	29.6	14%
4th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	45.3	42	3.3%
5th Grade English (Bearden Elementary School)	71.4	69.1	2.3%
5th Grade English (Bearden School District)	71.4	69.1	2.3%
5th Grade English (Arkansas)	73.3	70.2	3.1%
5th Grade Math (Bearden Elementary School)	37.1	28.6	8.5%
5th Grade Math (Bearden School District)	37.1	28.6	8.5%
5th Grade Math (Arkansas)	49.2	40.7	8.5%
5th Grade Science (Bearden Elementary School)	25.8	26.1	0.3%
5th Grade Science (Bearden School District)	25.8	26.1	0.3%
5th Grade Science (Arkansas)	40.7	34.6	6.1%
5th Grade Reading (Bearden Elementary School)	22.9	23.8	0.9%
5th Grade Reading (Bearden School District)	22.9	23.8	0.9%
5th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	41	36.8	4.2%
6th Grade English (Bearden Elementary School)	79.4	66.7	12.7%
6th Grade English (Bearden School District)	79.4	66.7	12.7%
6th Grade English (Arkansas)	72.8	67.6	5.2%
6th Grade Math (Bearden Elementary School)	44.1	33.3	10.8%
6th Grade Math (Bearden School District)	44.1	33.3	10.8%
6th Grade Math (Arkansas)	53.7	47	6.7%
6th Grade Science (Bearden Elementary School)	41.2	35.7	5.5%
6th Grade Science (Bearden School District)	41.2	35.7	5.5%
6th Grade Science (Arkansas)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
6th Grade Reading (Bearden Elementary School)	47.1	33.3	13.8%
6th Grade Reading (Bearden School District)	47.1	33.3	13.8%
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	261	258	1.1%
African American	97	95	2.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	13	7	46.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	132	136	3%
Two or More Races	18	20	11.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	74.7%	73.6%	1.1%

Schools Near Bearden 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
Bearden Elementary School	Public	K-6	100 Oak Ave	Bearden	71720	Ouachita County	Bearden School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 687-2237	227	18	12.9	98.7%	129 (56.8%)	76 (33.5%)	8 (3.5%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.7%)	32	368^th of 497 public elementary schools	26.0%		30.9	363^rd of 492 public elementary schools	26.2%	5	37.2	30.0	3.6	35.1	27.8	37.1	27.5	3.6	32.4	26.4	28.6	22.5	3.6	29.7	22.1	28.5	20.0	10.7	24.3	21.4	$9,679	$1,484	$8,195
Harmony Grove Elementary School	Public	K-6	401 Ouachita 88	Camden	71701	Ouachita County	Harmony Grove School District (Ouachita)	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 574-0960	413	26	15.7	55.0%	316 (76.5%)	69 (16.7%)	15 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.9%)	59.1	211^th of 497 public elementary schools	57.5%		75.8	112^th of 492 public elementary schools	77.2%	99	46.1	44.2	34.3	32.9	39.1	44.6	38.5	37.3	35.3	38.9	32.4	30.7	52.2	50.0	42.0	30.8	28.8	35.9	32.3	32.1	$8,857	$1,540	$7,317
Fordyce Elementary Schools	Public	PK, KG-6	350 Redbug Cir	Fordyce	71742	Dallas County	Fordyce School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 352-2816	370	26	14.2	99.2%	158 (42.7%)	180 (48.6%)	9 (2.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.7%)	34.4	353^rd of 497 public elementary schools	29.0%		38.3	341^st of 492 public elementary schools	30.7%	12	26.0	15.4	31.0	20.4	23.3	31.9	18.0	30.3	22.4	25.9	44.4	30.0	23.3	30.6	32.2	28.3	22.5	32.5	30.6	28.6	$13,640	$4,854	$8,786
Camden Fairview Early Childhood Center	Public	PK	255 Pope Street	Camden	71701	Ouachita County	Camden Fairview School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(870) 836-6876	109	0		97.2%	31 (28.4%)	74 (67.9%)	2 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.8%)								(n/a)
Hampton Elementary School	Public	K-6	485 E Main St	Hampton	71744	Calhoun County	Hampton School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 798-2304	250	19	13.2	77.2%	180 (72.0%)	54 (21.6%)	11 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.0%)	28.1	383^rd of 497 public elementary schools	22.9%		29.2	373^rd of 492 public elementary schools	24.2%	10	17.6	21.4	35.9	23.1	26.3	14.7	21.4	30.2	26.9	24.1	26.5	32.1	13.2	34.6	24.1	11.7	28.6	26.4	15.4	21.3	$9,949	$1,901	$8,048
Ivory Intermediate School	Public	4-5	575 Dooley Womack Dr.	Camden	71701	Ouachita County	Camden Fairview School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 836-6876	261	19	13.4	98.9%	58 (22.2%)	184 (70.5%)	9 (3.4%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	7 (2.7%)	12.4	456^th of 497 public elementary schools	8.2%		10.9	450^th of 492 public elementary schools	8.5%	6		15.5	13.8		14.7		15.4	13.6		14.6		21.7	16.0		19.0		11.9	16.0		13.8	$9,930	$1,681	$8,249
Fairview Elementary School	Public	K-3	1 Robin St	Camden	71701	Ouachita County	Camden Fairview School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 231-5434	574	35	16.2	99.5%	133 (23.2%)	373 (65.0%)	26 (4.5%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (6.6%)	13.8	450^th of 497 public elementary schools	9.5%		17.9	419^th of 492 public elementary schools	14.8%	31	21.3				21.3	21.2				21.2	13.0				13.0	11.6				11.6	$13,048	$3,397	$9,651

Frequently Asked Questions about Bearden Elementary School

Is Bearden Elementary School a good school?

Bearden Elementary School ranks 368^th of 497 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Bearden Elementary School?

Students at Bearden Elementary School are 57% White, 33% African American, 6% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.

What district is Bearden Elementary School in?

Bearden School District

What schools do graduates of Bearden Elementary School attend?

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

High : Bearden High School

How many students attend Bearden Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 227 students attended Bearden Elementary School.

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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.