Summary:
The Western Yell County School District is home to one elementary school, Western Yell County Elementary School, which serves 157 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 6th grade in Belleville, Arkansas.
This school stands out for its combination of high investment and significant academic challenges. With a very low student-teacher ratio of 10.9:1 and per-student spending of $16,185—well above national averages—the school is well-resourced. However, it serves an extremely high-need population, with 98.09% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. Academically, the school performs below state averages in most subjects, with overall proficiency rates of 36% in English Language Arts, 38.6% in Reading, 30.6% in Mathematics, and 33.3% in Science. The most notable bright spot is 6th Grade Reading, where 46.7% of students are proficient—5 points above the state average. Conversely, 5th Grade is a severe weak point, particularly in Math (20% proficient vs. 45% statewide) and Science (16% vs. 43.8%).
Encouragingly, the school is showing year-over-year improvement in core subjects from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, with gains of 7.2 points in English Language Arts, 6.1 points in Reading, and 3.1 points in Math. However, Science performance dropped sharply by 8 points, indicating volatility. The data strongly suggests that the school's primary obstacle is overcoming the effects of deep poverty on student learning, rather than a lack of resources. For parents, this school offers small class sizes and dedicated funding, but academic performance remains a work in progress, with particular attention needed in mathematics and the 5th grade transition.
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