Riverside School District

The Riverside School District in Arkansas is a small, rural district serving approximately 789 students across three schools: one high school (Riverside High School, grades 7-12) and two elementary schools (Riverside West Elementary School and Riverside East Elementary School, both PK-6).

The district presents a clear contrast between its schools. Riverside West Elementary School is the academic leader, earning a 4-star rating and outperforming state averages in English Language Arts and Science. In contrast, Riverside East Elementary School struggles significantly, earning only 1 star and falling well below state averages in all subjects, despite receiving over $4,000 more per student in funding. Riverside High School is the most volatile, swinging from a 2-star rating in 2024-2025 to a 4-star rating in 2025-2026, though its math scores remain a concern. A district-wide weakness is mathematics, where all three schools fall below the state average. However, the high school boasts a standout Biology program with 62.9% proficiency, far exceeding the state average of 42.7%.

Key takeaways for parents include the high school's low student-teacher ratio (8.6:1) and strong graduation rate (92.8%), alongside its inconsistent test scores. At Riverside West Elementary, early grades excel, but performance drops by 5th and 6th grade, suggesting a need for sustained support in upper elementary. Riverside East Elementary faces the highest socioeconomic challenges, with 73.47% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, indicating that deeper systemic issues may be at play beyond funding alone.