Chenal Elementary School

Summary:

Chenal Elementary School is a high-performing public elementary school in Little Rock, Arkansas, serving around 450 students in grades K-5. As part of the Pulaski County Special School District, Chenal Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Chenal Elementary significantly outperforms the district and state averages in academic proficiency across all subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 57% in English Language Arts, 66.9% in Mathematics, and 63.2% in Science, compared to the district averages of 28.7%, 29%, and 28.8%, respectively. This high academic performance is likely influenced by the school's relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 16.4% to 22.62% over the past three years, which is significantly lower than the district average.

When compared to nearby schools, Chenal Elementary stands out as a high-performing outlier. For instance, Baker Elementary, which is also in the top 20 elementary schools in the state, has lower proficiency rates than Chenal across all subjects and grade levels. In contrast, schools like Lawson Elementary and J.A. Fair K8 Preparatory School, which are within a reasonable distance from Chenal, have significantly lower proficiency rates, highlighting the stark performance gap between these schools.

Detail:

Public K-5

21201 Denny Rd
Little Rock, AR 72223

(501) 490-2000

District: Pulaski County Special School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
27^th of 497 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,544

Students who attend Chenal Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Joe T. Robinson Middle School
High:	Joe T. Robinson High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.6

Number of students: 420

Racial breakdown:

White:

51.2%

African American:

20.0%

Asian:

12.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 21.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Chenal Elementary School ranks better than 94.6% of elementary schools in Arkansas. It also ranks 2^nd among 16 ranked elementary schools in the Pulaski County Special School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 91.18. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Chenal Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (51.2%), African American (20%), Asian (12.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 21.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Pulaski County Special School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Chenal Elementary School is 14.6, which is the 8^th best among 16 elementary schools in the Pulaski County Special School District. (See more...)

Compare Chenal Elementary School employs 28.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Chenal Elementary School is $11,544. 12 elementary schools in the Pulaski County Special School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Pulaski County Special School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Pulaski County Special School District 173^rd of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Chenal Elementary School.

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Rank History for Chenal Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AR State Percentile
2011	76.92	82^nd	471	82.6%
2012	79.69	49^th	468	89.5%
2013	71.51	119^th	476	75.0%
2014	75.06	92^nd	471	80.5%
2015	89.41	30^th	466	93.6%
2016	93.93	6^th	494	98.8%
2017	91.41	18^th	485	96.3%
2018	91.65	25^th	480	94.8%
2019	92.52	18^th	488	96.3%
2021	94.84	15^th	496	97.0%
2022	93.19	17^th	487	96.5%
2023	92.57	20^th	492	95.9%
2024	91.18	27^th	497	94.6%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, July 2, 2018

Great school with excellent parent involvement and activities. Awesome teachers, especially Miss Spencer in 5th grade. She is always going above and beyond for the kids and both of my kids thrived in her class. Chenal is definitely a school worth considering if you live in the area! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Chenal Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2009	292	143	11	3	1	n/a	n/a	450
2010	337	151	18	3	0	0	0	509
2011	374	147	31	7	0	0	0	559
2012	347	143	36	17	0	2	14	559
2013	355	153	33	17	4	2	10	574
2014	335	146	35	15	5	1	6	543
2015	345	124	31	15	5	1	4	525
2016	351	129	43	13	3	1	2	542
2017	343	98	52	25	5	1	5	529
2018	330	89	49	20	4	0	5	497
2019	332	102	37	16	3	0	3	493
2020	353	104	0	23	0	0	1	481
2021	278	86	46	31	0	1	3	445
2022	274	91	40	28	0	2	16	451
2023	257	84	51	30	0	2	26	450
2024	215	84	52	31	2	3	33	420

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 Chenal Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	450	25.0	18.0	24.7
2010	509	31.7	16.4	25.5
2011	559	32.1	17.3	24
2012	559	31.8	17.5	23.4
2013	574	28.8	19.8	27
2014	543	32.1	16.8	27.1
2015	525	36.0	14.5	24.4
2016	542	31.0	17.4	31.4
2017	529	33.5	15.7	15.1
2018	497	33.3	14.8	13.7
2019	493	31.9	15.4	22.7
2020	481	32.9	14.5	25.6
2021	445	30.3	14.6	16.4
2022	451	32.7	13.7	22.6
2023	450	33.6	13.3	22.4
2024	420	28.7	14.6	21.4

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 Chenal Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	450	25.0	18.0	24.7
2010	509	31.7	16.4	25.5
2011	559	32.1	17.3	24
2012	559	31.8	17.5	23.4
2013	574	28.8	19.8	27
2014	543	32.1	16.8	27.1
2015	525	36.0	14.5	24.4
2016	542	31.0	17.4	31.4
2017	529	33.5	15.7	15.1
2018	497	33.3	14.8	13.7
2019	493	31.9	15.4	22.7
2020	481	32.9	14.5	25.6
2021	445	30.3	14.6	16.4
2022	451	32.7	13.7	22.6
2023	450	33.6	13.3	22.4
2024	420	28.7	14.6	21.4

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 Chenal Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,951 (16.9%)	$9,594 (83.1%)	$11,544

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Chenal 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 18^th of 488 Elementary schools	Ranks 20^th of 492 Elementary schools	0.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English (Chenal Elementary School)	88	84.4	3.6%
3rd Grade English (Pulaski County Special School District)	77.4	63.7	13.7%
3rd Grade English (Arkansas)	72.4	62.6	9.8%
3rd Grade Math (Chenal Elementary School)	78.6	77.9	0.7%
3rd Grade Math (Pulaski County Special School District)	62.2	50.1	12.1%
3rd Grade Math (Arkansas)	62.1	54.4	7.7%
3rd Grade Science (Chenal Elementary School)	58.7	61.1	2.4%
3rd Grade Science (Pulaski County Special School District)	43.9	30.9	13%
3rd Grade Science (Arkansas)	39.4	35	4.4%
3rd Grade Reading (Chenal Elementary School)	61.3	57.2	4.1%
3rd Grade Reading (Pulaski County Special School District)	42.1	32.8	9.3%
3rd Grade Reading (Arkansas)	38.3	32.2	6.1%
4th Grade English (Chenal Elementary School)	83.7	76	7.7%
4th Grade English (Pulaski County Special School District)	71.1	61.9	9.2%
4th Grade English (Arkansas)	69.6	63.3	6.3%
4th Grade Math (Chenal Elementary School)	82.5	77.3	5.2%
4th Grade Math (Pulaski County Special School District)	54.3	48.2	6.1%
4th Grade Math (Arkansas)	53.8	48.6	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Chenal Elementary School)	69.8	50.6	19.2%
4th Grade Science (Pulaski County Special School District)	44.5	36.5	8%
4th Grade Science (Arkansas)	42.3	38.5	3.8%
4th Grade Reading (Chenal Elementary School)	72.1	62.7	9.4%
4th Grade Reading (Pulaski County Special School District)	49.3	43.3	6%
4th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	45.3	42	3.3%
5th Grade English (Chenal Elementary School)	90.2	89.3	0.9%
5th Grade English (Pulaski County Special School District)	73.3	71.8	1.5%
5th Grade English (Arkansas)	73.3	70.2	3.1%
5th Grade Math (Chenal Elementary School)	78.3	70.7	7.6%
5th Grade Math (Pulaski County Special School District)	45	41.4	3.6%
5th Grade Math (Arkansas)	49.2	40.7	8.5%
5th Grade Science (Chenal Elementary School)	65.2	60	5.2%
5th Grade Science (Pulaski County Special School District)	38.3	30	8.3%
5th Grade Science (Arkansas)	40.7	34.6	6.1%
5th Grade Reading (Chenal Elementary School)	62	61.5	0.5%
5th Grade Reading (Pulaski County Special School District)	39.5	37.8	1.7%
5th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	41	36.8	4.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	493	450	8.7%
African American	102	84	17.6%
American Indian	3	0	100%
Asian	37	51	37.8%
Hispanic	16	30	87.5%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	332	257	22.6%
Two or More Races	3	26	766.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	22.7%	22.4%	0.3%

Schools Near Chenal 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 All Grades	ATLAS Reading 3rd Grade	ATLAS Reading 4th Grade	ATLAS Reading 5th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 5th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Science 3rd Grade	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science 5th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Chenal Elementary School	Public	K-5	21201 Denny Rd	Little Rock	72223	Pulaski County	Pulaski County Special School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 490-2000	420	29	14.6	21.4%	215 (51.2%)	84 (20.0%)	31 (7.4%)	52 (12.4%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.7%)	33 (7.9%)	91.2	27^th of 497 public elementary schools	94.6%		92.6	20^th of 492 public elementary schools	95.9%	7	54.1	72.0	43.8	57.0	57.4	72.0	45.2	58.3	62.3	85.3	52.0	66.9	65.5	73.3	50.7	63.2	$11,544	$1,951	$9,594
Founders Classical Academies Of Ar West Little Rock Elementary	Public, Charter	K-6	1815 Rahling Rd	Little Rock	72223	Pulaski County	Founders Classical Academies Of Arkansas	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 821-0382	54	8	7.0	42.6%	14 (25.9%)	25 (46.3%)	12 (22.2%)	2 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)								(n/a)				21.7				21.7				20.9				19.1
Joe T. Robinson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	21600 Hwy 10	Little Rock	72223	Pulaski County	Pulaski County Special School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 868-2420	305	19	16.2	44.3%	143 (46.9%)	110 (36.1%)	22 (7.2%)	10 (3.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.2%)	35	350^th of 497 public elementary schools	29.6%		64.6	169^th of 492 public elementary schools	65.7%	181	21.5	22.2	40.8	28.3	28.5	26.0	38.7	31.0	23.8	22.3	28.6	24.8	21.5	24.1	32.6	26.2	$14,490	$2,892	$11,599
Don Roberts Elementary School	Public	K-5	16601 Lamarche Dr	Little Rock	72223	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 447-2500	1,020	51	19.8	27.5%	588 (57.6%)	219 (21.5%)	20 (2.0%)	174 (17.1%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (1.6%)	97.1	8^th of 497 public elementary schools	98.4%		96.4	5^th of 492 public elementary schools	99.0%	3	62.6	62.7	69.5	64.9	62.7	61.2	67.8	63.8	63.8	74.1	72.3	70.2	63.2	61.7	66.7	63.8	$10,535	$2,089	$8,446
Baker Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	15001 Kanis Rd	Little Rock	72223	Pulaski County	Pulaski County Special School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 228-3250	392	26	15.1	21.4%	157 (40.1%)	110 (28.1%)	27 (6.9%)	86 (21.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.8%)	96.4	12^th of 497 public elementary schools	97.6%		96	7^th of 492 public elementary schools	98.6%	5	72.6	70.0	59.6	68.0	72.6	72.0	61.5	69.1	67.1	72.0	51.9	64.0	61.6	72.0	57.7	63.4	$10,490	$992	$9,499
Lawson Elementary School	Public	K-5	19901 Lawson Rd	Little Rock	72210	Pulaski County	Pulaski County Special School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 821-7000	183	17	10.6	119.1%	86 (47.0%)	49 (26.8%)	44 (24.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.2%)	24.6	397^th of 497 public elementary schools	20.1%		35.4	347^th of 492 public elementary schools	29.5%	50	25.0	21.7	31.3	26.4	25.0	26.0	28.2	26.4	8.3	21.7	31.2	19.8	11.1	21.7	18.8	16.5	$12,814	$2,721	$10,092
Lisa Academy West Elementary School	Public, Charter	K-5	12200 Westhaven Dr	Little Rock	72211	Pulaski County	Lisa Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 476-3309	603	35	17.1	74.6%	65 (10.8%)	283 (46.9%)	192 (31.8%)	36 (6.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.3%)	26.6	389^th of 497 public elementary schools	21.7%		23.8	396^th of 492 public elementary schools	19.5%	7	21.9	22.5	31.3	25.1	21.9	25.0	32.9	26.5	19.0	22.7	25.8	22.5	16.2	25.7	23.7	21.7	$8,504	$1,140	$7,363
Fulbright Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	300 Pleasant Valley Dr	Little Rock	72212	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 447-4700	533	28	19.0	51.8%	224 (42.0%)	252 (47.3%)	26 (4.9%)	24 (4.5%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	70.4	139^th of 497 public elementary schools	72.0%		67.3	158^th of 492 public elementary schools	67.9%	19	46.2	50.6	41.0	46.2	44.6	45.2	38.4	42.8	50.8	48.8	42.4	47.3	32.3	41.7	37.0	37.4	$12,034	$3,107	$8,927
Terry Elementary School	Public	K-5	10800 Mara Lynn Dr	Little Rock	72211	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 447-6500	337	21	16.0	83.7%	36 (10.7%)	250 (74.2%)	24 (7.1%)	14 (4.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.6%)	19.6	428^th of 497 public elementary schools	13.9%		21.6	403^rd of 492 public elementary schools	18.1%	25	26.8	16.3	23.7	22.3	26.8	18.2	23.7	22.9	12.5	10.9	16.4	13.2	19.6	18.1	25.5	21.1	$13,065	$3,172	$9,892
Ark Virtual Academy Elementary	Public, Virtual, Charter	K-5	10802 Executive Ctr Dr Ste 205	Little Rock	72211	Pulaski County	Arkansas Virtual Academy	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	(501) 664-4225	1,014	34	30.0	67.2%	609 (60.1%)	264 (26.0%)	64 (6.3%)	6 (0.6%)	21 (2.1%)	1 (0.1%)	49 (4.8%)	32	366^th of 497 public elementary schools	26.4%		25.8	386^th of 492 public elementary schools	21.5%	20	32.4	27.6	23.6	27.7	33.5	30.5	26.4	29.9	24.3	20.0	19.4	21.1	31.4	28.6	22.7	27.3	$7,955	$2,053	$5,903

Frequently Asked Questions about Chenal Elementary School

How many students attend Chenal Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 420 students attended Chenal Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Chenal Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Joe T. Robinson Middle School
High : Joe T. Robinson High School

Is Chenal Elementary School a good school?

Yes. Chenal Elementary School ranks in the top 5.4% of Arkansas elementary schools.

What district is Chenal Elementary School in?

Pulaski County Special School District

What is the racial makeup of Chenal Elementary School?

Students at Chenal Elementary School are 51% White, 20% African American, 12% Asian, 8% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic.

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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.