Van Buren School District

Summary:

The Van Buren School District in Arkansas comprises 11 schools, including 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 1 high school, and 2 alternative schools. The district serves a diverse student population with varying socioeconomic backgrounds, as evidenced by the wide range of free and reduced-price lunch rates across the schools.

Within the district, a few schools stand out for their exceptional academic performance. Northridge Middle School consistently ranks among the top middle schools in the state, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger and strong proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Similarly, Oliver Springs Elementary School and Rena Elementary School are high-performing elementary schools, ranking in the top 30% and 25% of schools in Arkansas, respectively.

However, the data also reveals stark contrasts in school performance within the district. While some schools excel, others struggle significantly, with lower proficiency rates across the board. This suggests a need for more consistent, district-wide strategies to improve outcomes and ensure that all students in the Van Buren School District have access to a high-quality education.

District Detail

2221 Pointer Trail
Van Buren, AR 72956

(479) 474-7942

SchoolDigger Rank:
102^nd of 250 Arkansas districts

See the 2025 Arkansas District rankings!

Grades served: PK, KG-12
Students: 5,703

Primary Schools: 6
Middle Schools: 2
High Schools: 1
Alternative Schools: 2

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 Geometry (2025)			ATLAS Science (2025)							ATLAS Biology (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 9th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 10th 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 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading 10th 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 9th Grade	ATLAS Algebra All Grades	ATLAS Geometry 9th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 10th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 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	ATLAS Biology 10th Grade	ATLAS Biology All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Rena Elementary School	Public	K-5	720 Rena Road	Van Buren	72956	Crawford County	Van Buren School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 471-3190	414	21	19.3	54.8%	279 (67.4%)	6 (1.4%)	63 (15.2%)	7 (1.7%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (13.3%)	71.2	131^st of 495 public elementary schools	73.5%		62.5	187^th of 497 public elementary schools	62.4%	56	56.0	45.0	31.1						44.0	52.0	46.7	35.2						44.5	73.3	58.3	39.2				56.9							57.3	38.3	33.8				43.6			$9,607	$596	$9,011
Northridge Middle School	Public	6-8	120 Northridge Drive	Van Buren	72956	Crawford County	Van Buren School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 471-3126	713	44	16.0	51.3%	501 (70.3%)	13 (1.8%)	115 (16.1%)	18 (2.5%)	7 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	58 (8.1%)	78.3	44^th of 324 public middle schools	86.4%		75.7	55^th of 335 public middle schools	83.6%	11				51.4	46.2	45.0			47.6				48.9	43.0	41.6			44.6				62.3	55.7	27.5	52.2	69.4		70.0							49.8	42.6	42.0	44.9			$9,820	$811	$9,008
Central Elementary School	Public	K-5	913 N 24 St	Van Buren	72956	Crawford County	Van Buren School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 474-7059	466	25	18.3	75.3%	296 (63.5%)	14 (3.0%)	74 (15.9%)	8 (1.7%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (14.6%)	36.2	336^th of 495 public elementary schools	32.1%		32.2	365^th of 497 public elementary schools	26.6%	29	24.6	22.1	33.3						26.9	20.3	23.2	36.0						26.7	36.2	36.2	38.7				37.1							20.2	30.4	32.0				27.7			$13,624	$3,016	$10,608
King Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	411 North 20th St	Van Buren	72956	Crawford County	Van Buren School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 474-2661	437	28	15.3	86.3%	179 (41.0%)	13 (3.0%)	169 (38.7%)	5 (1.1%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	68 (15.6%)	19.1	415^th of 495 public elementary schools	16.2%		24.9	393^rd of 497 public elementary schools	20.9%	22	17.2	30.3	15.6						21.6	12.5	26.4	17.2						19.1	14.1	27.6	21.9				21.6							17.2	26.4	21.9				22.0			$11,760	$1,308	$10,452
Butterfield Trail Middle School	Public	6-8	310 North 11 St	Van Buren	72956	Crawford County	Van Buren School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 474-6838	557	40	14.0	80.6%	309 (55.5%)	16 (2.9%)	174 (31.2%)	12 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (7.9%)	31.3	236^th of 324 public middle schools	27.2%		28.8	259^th of 335 public middle schools	22.7%	23				29.2	20.6	19.5			23.2				30.7	22.9	21.8			25.2				35.4	26.8	20.8	28.3	51.3		52.5							28.6	27.8	28.5	28.2			$11,730	$858	$10,872
Van Buren High School	Public	10-12	2001 Pointer Trail	Van Buren	72956	Crawford County	Van Buren School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 474-6821	1,232	115	10.7	57.9%	750 (60.9%)	31 (2.5%)	307 (24.9%)	34 (2.8%)	19 (1.5%)	3 (0.2%)	88 (7.1%)	66.4	66^th of 291 public high schools	77.3%		61.5	100^th of 305 public high schools	67.2%	34								42.8	42.8								41.8	41.8												8.5	8.5								41.1	40.9	$12,386	$536	$11,850
James R. Tate Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	406 Catcher Road	Van Buren	72956	Crawford County	Van Buren School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 471-3130	459	25	18.3	76.3%	319 (69.5%)	7 (1.5%)	85 (18.5%)	4 (0.9%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (8.9%)	46.3	280^th of 495 public elementary schools	43.4%		36.8	336^th of 497 public elementary schools	32.4%	56	40.0	33.9	25.4						33.2	35.7	30.9	28.4						31.7	37.1	35.3	44.8				39.0							35.7	32.3	32.8				33.7			$10,791	$901	$9,890
Parkview Elementary School	Public	K-5	619 Parkview	Van Buren	72956	Crawford County	Van Buren School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 474-8730	437	23	18.8	65.7%	280 (64.1%)	9 (2.1%)	76 (17.4%)	4 (0.9%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	64 (14.6%)	66	159^th of 495 public elementary schools	67.9%		68.9	146^th of 497 public elementary schools	70.6%	13	37.0	43.0	41.8						40.7	37.0	36.7	38.8						37.4	43.8	58.2	56.7				53.0							48.0	51.9	28.4				43.4			$9,710	$662	$9,047
Van Buren Freshman Academy	Public, Alternative	9	821 Pointer Trail East	Van Buren	72956	Crawford County	Van Buren School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 471-3160	468	38	12.3	61.5%	289 (61.8%)	10 (2.1%)	94 (20.1%)	12 (2.6%)	9 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	53 (11.3%)								(n/a)							39.2		39.2							36.8		36.8									20.6	20.6	50.0		50.0										$11,123	$503	$10,620
River Valley Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	60 Northridge Drive	Van Buren	72956	Crawford County	Van Buren School District	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	(479) 471-3165	79	34	2.3	68.4%	68 (86.1%)	1 (1.3%)	2 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (8.9%)								(n/a)							50.0	23.1	33.3							50.0	46.2	41.7							23.8		25.0	25.0			0.0							28.6	15.4	15.4	$8,759	$3,467	$5,292
Oliver Springs Elementary School	Public	K-5	505 Northridge Drive East	Van Buren	72956	Crawford County	Van Buren School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 471-3120	441	24	18.1	53.7%	295 (66.9%)	4 (0.9%)	85 (19.3%)	3 (0.7%)	7 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	46 (10.4%)	69.5	146^th of 495 public elementary schools	70.5%		77.4	91^st of 497 public elementary schools	81.7%	55	35.6	48.5	43.2						42.4	35.6	41.1	40.9						39.3	50.6	57.4	47.7				51.6							43.8	45.6	45.4				45.0			$9,564	$917	$8,647

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Fort Smith School District	2.81 mi	26	149^th
Institute For The Creative Arts	5.48 mi	1
Future School Of Fort Smith	5.89 mi	1	215^th
Westark Technical Center	5.98 mi	1
Premier High Schools Of Arkansas	6.78 mi	7	231^st

See the top AR Arkansas districts

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.