Estem Public Charter School

The Estem Public Charter School district in Little Rock, Arkansas, serves 2,358 students across four schools: one high school, one junior high, and two elementary schools, with the district ranking 104th out of 251 in the state (59th percentile, 3-star rating).

Estem High School stands out as the district's academic leader, earning a 4-star rating and showing a clear upward trajectory in state rankings, with standout performance in Biology (58.7% proficient vs. 42.7% statewide) and a very low dropout rate of 0.4%. However, it has a notable weakness in Geometry, where only 22.7% of students are proficient, dropping to 13.3% for 10th graders. In contrast, Estem Junior High Public Charter School is a math powerhouse, achieving an incredible 88.5% proficiency in Algebra in 2025-2026, far exceeding the district (39.6%) and state (36.9%) averages, though its overall rating has fluctuated to 3 stars. Estem Elementary School outperforms Estem East Village Elementary Public Charter School in every subject despite having the lowest per-student spending ($11,417 vs. $12,912), highlighting that financial resources alone don't drive success.

Key metrics reveal a high-needs population, with free/reduced lunch eligibility ranging from 61.69% at the high school to 84.23% at Estem Elementary, and student-teacher ratios are relatively small (9.8:1 at the high school to 15.2:1 at Estem Elementary). A fascinating finding is the "East Village Climb," where Estem East Village shows consistent academic improvement from 3rd to 6th grade, suggesting cumulative positive effects of interventions despite its low overall 1-star ranking. Additionally, the junior high's Algebra success contrasts sharply with the high school's struggles in the same subject, indicating a specialized middle school math program that could be replicated district-wide to address the high school's Geometry gap.