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Watson Elementary School

Public Grades K-5

489^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 495 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Better than 1% of Arkansas elementary schools

Summary

Watson Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Little Rock, Arkansas, serving grades K-5 with a total enrollment of 417 students. The school is part of the Little Rock School District, which is ranked 179 out of 250 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Watson Elementary consistently ranks among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Arkansas, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics, and Science that are significantly lower than the district and state averages across all grade levels. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, only 9.4% of Watson students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 25.8% in the district and 34.7% statewide. The school also has an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 92.33% to 99.77% over the past 3 years, indicating a high concentration of students from low-income families. Additionally, the school's per-student spending and student-teacher ratio are less favorable than the district averages.

Interestingly, the nearby schools within the Little Rock School District, such as Bale Elementary, Otter Creek Elementary, and Wakefield Elementary, also perform poorly compared to the state average, but generally outperform Watson Elementary in academic proficiency. Additionally, the nearby Exalt Academy of Southwest Little Rock, a public charter school, also outperforms Watson Elementary in most academic areas. This persistent underperformance at Watson Elementary suggests that the school may face significant challenges in improving student outcomes, potentially related to factors such as high poverty, limited resources, or ineffective instructional practices.

383

Students ?

17.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,881

Per pupil spending ?

99.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

7000 Valley Drive
Little Rock, AR 72209

(501) 447-6800

District: Little Rock School District

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

51.4%

African American:

42.8%

White:

3.7%

See top rated Arkansas elementary schools

Compare Watson Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 1st percentile in 2013 → 1st in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Arkansas average (10% vs 36% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (1st percentile)

!Science scores 30 pts below the Arkansas average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school10%

District avg26%

Arkansas avg36%

489^th of 495

Arkansas public elementary schools ?

Bottom 1%▼ down 1 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Arkansas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

21^st of 23Elementary Schools in the Little Rock School District

179^th of 250Little Rock School District among Arkansas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arkansas percentile	Rating
2025	5.9	489 of 495	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	5.1	491 of 497	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	3.3	490 of 492	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	2.0	486 of 487	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	3.2	494 of 496	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	1.5	488 of 488	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	4.6	493 of 494	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	9.3	454 of 466	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	3.9	464 of 471	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	1.0	473 of 476	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	4.7	456 of 468	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	3.7	459 of 471	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	2.7	446 of 457	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Arkansas (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics12%-27 vs state

Reading10%-25 vs state

English Language Arts9%-25 vs state

Science8%-30 vs state

★

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Schools Near Watson Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ATLAS English Language Arts (2025)							ATLAS Reading (2025)							ATLAS Mathematics (2025)							ATLAS Algebra (2025)		ATLAS Science (2025)							Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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 7th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 8th 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 7th Grade	ATLAS Reading 8th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 5th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 6th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 7th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 8th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Algebra 8th Grade	ATLAS Algebra All Grades	ATLAS Science 3rd Grade	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science 5th Grade	ATLAS Science 6th Grade	ATLAS Science 7th Grade	ATLAS Science 8th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Watson Elementary School	Public	K-5	7000 Valley Drive	Little Rock	72209	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 447-6800	383	22	17.4	99.2%	14 (3.7%)	164 (42.8%)	197 (51.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (1.8%)	5.9	489^th of 495 public elementary schools	1.2%		5.1	491^st of 497 public elementary schools	1.2%	2	12.9	9.9	5.9				9.4	12.9	9.8	7.4				9.9	11.3	13.1	10.3				11.5			9.7	8.2	7.4				8.3	$14,881	$2,247	$12,633
Dr. Marian G. Lacey K-8 Academy	Public	K-8	9417 Geyer Springs Road	Little Rock	72209	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(501) 447-4300	1,252	82	15.3	99.8%	70 (5.6%)	656 (52.4%)	500 (39.9%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (0.6%)	2 (0.2%)	17 (1.4%)								(n/a)
Exalt Academy Of Southwest Little Rock	Public, Charter	K-8	6111 W 83rd Street	Little Rock	72209	Pulaski County	Exalt Academy Of Southwest Little Rock	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 568-3279	754	61	12.3	95.6%	11 (1.5%)	112 (14.9%)	625 (82.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.8%)	12.5	455^th of 495 public elementary schools	8.1%		10.9	463^rd of 497 public elementary schools	6.8%	8	21.8	19.0	14.5	17.2	10.5	20.8	17.4	20.7	17.8	12.0	18.4	15.8	22.1	17.8	28.2	14.0	9.6	19.5	22.1	14.3	18.3	50.0	50.0	14.1	6.3	3.6	17.2	19.5	33.8	15.5	$12,813	$1,570	$11,244
Chicot Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	11100 Chicot Road	Mabelvale	72103	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 447-7000	897	51	17.6	99.7%	46 (5.1%)	452 (50.4%)	374 (41.7%)	1 (0.1%)	8 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (1.8%)	17.6	427^th of 495 public elementary schools	13.7%		18.6	431^st of 497 public elementary schools	13.3%	4	12.9	24.3	24.2				19.9	12.9	26.2	28.4				21.7	15.3	16.5	29.5				19.9			10.5	18.4	20.0				15.8	$20,281	$4,983	$15,299
Mabelvale Elementary School	Public	K-5	9401 Mabelvale Cut-Off	Mabelvale	72103	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 447-5400	369	22	16.7	99.2%	32 (8.7%)	221 (59.9%)	109 (29.5%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	9.7	470^th of 495 public elementary schools	5.1%		6.1	483^rd of 497 public elementary schools	2.8%	13	16.7	6.3	16.1				13.6	18.0	6.3	14.7				13.6	9.8	6.3	17.7				11.8			4.9	12.5	17.6				11.9	$15,857	$2,878	$12,978
Wakefield Elementary School	Public	K-5	75 Westminister	Little Rock	72209	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 447-6600	493	29	16.9	99.4%	40 (8.1%)	259 (52.5%)	183 (37.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.4%)	16.8	433^rd of 495 public elementary schools	12.5%		24.1	401^st of 497 public elementary schools	19.3%	32	19.8	15.8	21.4				19.0	19.8	17.1	24.3				20.2	18.6	27.6	31.5				25.4			7.0	13.1	12.8				10.8	$16,594	$2,912	$13,682
Academies Of Math And Science School	Public, Charter	K-8	6423 Stagecoach Road	Little Rock	72204	Pulaski County	Academies Of Math And Science	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(501) 295-3424	486	30	16.3	70.2%	52 (10.7%)	348 (71.6%)	69 (14.2%)	3 (0.6%)	13 (2.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	17.5	26.7	22.4	27.0	3.6	19.2	19.7	15.8	21.7	20.4	23.8	3.6	19.2	17.3	13.8	8.4	18.4	18.8	3.6	19.2	13.1			17.5	23.3	18.0	21.8	1.8	23.0	17.3
Western Hills Elementary School	Public	K-5	4901 Western Hills Ave	Little Rock	72204	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 447-6900	202	16	12.5	98.5%	15 (7.4%)	112 (55.4%)	69 (34.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.0%)	13.3	452^nd of 495 public elementary schools	8.7%		5.1	490^th of 497 public elementary schools	1.4%	38	5.1	25.0	14.8				14.7	5.1	27.8	18.5				16.7	12.8	25.0	14.8				17.7			10.3	27.8	3.7				14.7	$17,363	$1,707	$15,657
Robert L. Davis Elementary School	Public	K-5	12001 County Line Rd	Alexander	72002	Saline County	Bryant School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 455-5672	504	31	16.1	73.8%	198 (39.3%)	156 (31.0%)	112 (22.2%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.5%)	54.3	237^th of 495 public elementary schools	52.1%		44	289^th of 497 public elementary schools	41.9%	52	40.3	40.3	33.9				37.6	45.5	43.1	32.1				39.1	49.4	50.0	32.1				42.3			36.4	35.2	23.8				30.8	$11,666	$1,157	$10,509
Bale Elementary School	Public	K-5	6501 W 32nd Street	Little Rock	72204	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 447-3600	330	22	15.0	99.1%	16 (4.8%)	234 (70.9%)	55 (16.7%)	3 (0.9%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	18 (5.5%)	5.4	491^st of 495 public elementary schools	0.8%		5.7	488^th of 497 public elementary schools	1.8%	3	12.0	6.4	10.2				9.6	12.0	6.4	10.0				9.5	8.0	6.4	8.3				7.6			10.0	6.4	10.0				8.9	$16,780	$2,965	$13,815

Frequently Asked Questions about Watson Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Watson Elementary School?

Students at Watson Elementary School are 51% Hispanic, 43% African American, 4% White, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Watson Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 383 students attended Watson Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Watson Elementary School attend?

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

High : Little Rock Southwest High School

Is Watson Elementary School a good school?

Watson Elementary School ranks in the bottom 1.2% of Arkansas elementary schools.

What district is Watson Elementary School in?

Little Rock School District

Rate Watson 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.