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Estem High School

Q: Is Estem High School a good school?

Estem High School ranks 79 th of 293 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades 9-12

79^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 293 Arkansas High Schools

Better than 73% of Arkansas high schools

Summary

Estem High School is a public charter high school in downtown Little Rock, AR, serving 676 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Estem Public Charter School district. The school stands out for its exceptional performance in Biology, where 58.7% of students are proficient—16 percentage points above the state average and the highest rate among nearby schools, including the high-performing Lisa Academy North High School (43%). Estem also excels in English Language Arts and Reading, with proficiency rates of 44.6% and 45.3%, respectively, both above state averages. Its extremely low dropout rate of 0.4% is dramatically lower than many area schools, such as Premier High School Online (55.4%) and Graduate Arkansas Charter High (47.0%).

However, Estem has a notable weakness in Algebra, with only 30.4% of students proficient—6.5 points below the state average. This contrasts sharply with its Geometry results, where 9th graders achieve an 86.7% proficiency rate, far above the state average of 59.2% and the highest among comparison schools. This suggests the school may accelerate top math students into Geometry early, creating a split in math performance. The school’s state ranking has been volatile, dropping from a 5-star ranking (17th in the state) in 2016 to a 2-star ranking (158th) in 2023, before rebounding to a 4-star ranking (79th) in 2026. This volatility is more pronounced than at Lisa Academy North High School, which has maintained consistent high performance.

Estem achieves strong results with moderate spending of $12,219 per student, lower than traditional public schools like Central High School ($16,165) and North Little Rock High School ($16,410), yet it significantly outperforms them academically. Its low student-to-teacher ratio of 9.8:1 provides a more personalized learning environment than larger schools like Central High (14.6:1). In a region where many schools struggle—such as North Little Rock High School and Premier High School Of Little Rock, which have very low proficiency rates—Estem stands out as a high-performing option. Interestingly, the North Little Rock Center Of Excellence also shows strong ELA and Reading scores (46.8% and 52% proficient), rivaling Estem, despite being in the same district as North Little Rock High.

676

Students ?

9.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,219

Per pupil spending ?

61.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

112 W 3rd St
Little Rock, AR 72201

(501) 478-2800

District: Estem Public Charter School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

62.7%

White:

16.0%

Hispanic:

13.8%

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 46th percentile in 2023 → 73rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 73rd (2026) from a 46th-percentile low (2023)

✓Above the Arkansas median (73rd percentile)

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school41%

District avg41%

Arkansas avg39%

79^th of 293

Arkansas public high schools ?

Top 27%▼ down 21 pts since 2016

From top 6% (2016) to top 27% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Arkansas High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

104^th of 251Estem Public Charter School 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
2026	65.9	79 of 293	73.0%	★★★★☆
2025	59.9	88 of 291	69.8%	★★★★☆
2024	60.5	102 of 305	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	47.3	158 of 295	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	64.5	77 of 282	72.7%	★★★★☆
2021	54.2	125 of 290	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	64.8	75 of 282	73.4%	★★★★☆
2018	64.7	71 of 263	73.0%	★★★★☆
2017	81.2	30 of 264	88.6%	★★★★☆
2016	87.7	17 of 269	93.7%	★★★★★
2014	50.8	133 of 268	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2013	40.1	181 of 271	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	48.0	145 of 266	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2011	34.2	196 of 266	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	49.1	126 of 262	51.9%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Arkansas (2025-2026) ?

Biology59%+16 vs state

Reading45%+5 vs state

English Language Arts45%+5 vs state

Algebra30%-7 vs state

Geometry23%-4 vs state

★

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Schools Near Estem High School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				ATLAS English Language Arts (2026)			ATLAS Reading (2026)			ATLAS Algebra (2026)			ATLAS Geometry (2026)					ATLAS Biology (2026)				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 (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ATLAS English Language Arts 9th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 10th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading 10th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Algebra 9th Grade	ATLAS Algebra 10th Grade	ATLAS Algebra All Grades	ATLAS Geometry 9th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 10th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 11th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 12th Grade	ATLAS Geometry All Grades	ATLAS Biology 9th Grade	ATLAS Biology 10th Grade	ATLAS Biology 11th Grade	ATLAS Biology All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Estem High School	Public, Charter	9-12	112 W 3rd St	Little Rock	72201	Pulaski County	Estem Public Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 478-2800	676	69	9.8	61.7%	108 (16.0%)	424 (62.7%)	93 (13.8%)	7 (1.0%)	4 (0.6%)	3 (0.4%)	37 (5.5%)	65.9	79^th of 293 public high schools	73.0%		59.9	88^th of 291 public high schools	69.8%	9	40.3	49.6	44.6	40.9	50.4	45.3	30.9		30.4	86.7	13.3			22.7	69.3	41.1		58.7	$12,219	$1,018	$11,201
Arkansas Virtual Academy High School	Public, Virtual, Charter	9-12	717 West 7th Street	Little Rock	72201	Pulaski County	Arkansas Virtual Academy	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	(501) 664-4225	2,567	210	12.1	53.0%	1,811 (70.5%)	396 (15.4%)	168 (6.5%)	21 (0.8%)	26 (1.0%)	2 (0.1%)	143 (5.6%)	40.7	187^th of 293 public high schools	36.2%		46.3	153^rd of 291 public high schools	47.4%	34	25.3	29.1	27.2	32.2	34.0	33.1	25.6	31.6	26.0	24.6	22.9	31.0		23.4	43.8	28.7	43.8	31.7
Premier High School Of Little Rock	Public, Charter	9-12	1621 Martin Luther King Dr	Little Rock	72202	Pulaski County	Premier High Schools Of Arkansas	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 246-3161	78	14	5.6	44.9%	0 (0.0%)	78 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7.3	281^st of 293 public high schools	4.1%		1.1	291^st of 291 public high schools	0.0%	10	5.9	9.1	7.2	23.5	9.1	17.8													$19,142	$9,520	$9,622
Premier High School Online	Public, Charter	7-12	400 Hardin Rd Suite 120	Little Rock	72202	Pulaski County	Premier High Schools Of Arkansas	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(479) 282-9971	292	13	22.1	21.6%	79 (27.1%)	134 (45.9%)	47 (16.1%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.4%)	3 (1.0%)	24 (8.2%)	26	237^th of 293 public high schools	19.1%		35	204^th of 291 public high schools	29.9%	33	12.2	21.0	17.6	26.0	29.9	28.3	33.3		42.1		18.2	33.3		25.8		7.1		10.3
Central High School	Public	9-12	1500 Little Rock Nine Way	Little Rock	72202	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 447-1400	2,371	161	14.6	56.0%	687 (29.0%)	1,097 (46.3%)	255 (10.8%)	266 (11.2%)	15 (0.6%)	3 (0.1%)	48 (2.0%)	57.1	116^th of 293 public high schools	60.4%		51.7	129^th of 291 public high schools	55.7%	13	40.8	44.5	42.6	44.9	48.2	46.5	9.4		9.4	60.4	10.8	5.0		26.7	77.7	22.9		43.3	$16,165	$1,690	$14,476
Arkansas School For The Blind High School	Public	7-12	2600 W Markham	Little Rock	72205	Pulaski County	Arkansas School For The Blind	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 296-1810	32	12	2.7	40.6%	19 (59.4%)	9 (28.1%)	2 (6.3%)	2 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
North Little Rock High School	Public	9-12	201 West 22nd Street	North Little Rock	72114	Pulaski County	North Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 771-8100	1,652	141	11.7	99.9%	330 (20.0%)	976 (59.1%)	250 (15.1%)	23 (1.4%)	5 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	66 (4.0%)	22	247^th of 293 public high schools	15.7%		14.1	268^th of 291 public high schools	7.9%	21	26.4	20.9	24.1	30.3	25.4	28.2	11.1		11.1	17.3	8.3			10.0	46.4	13.7		21.4	$16,410	$2,508	$13,902
North Little Rock Center Of Excellence	Public, Charter	9-12	201 West 22nd Street	North Little Rock	72114	Pulaski County	North Little Rock School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 975-3895	472	32	14.6	100.0%	139 (29.4%)	236 (50.0%)	70 (14.8%)	7 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.2%)	54.4	132^nd of 293 public high schools	54.9%		37	195^th of 291 public high schools	33.0%	63	64.6	38.7	46.8	75.1	41.5	52.0	16.0		16.0		8.2			9.6	70.8	19.5		32.3	$10,273	$1,721	$8,552
Lisa Academy West High School	Public, Charter	9-12	6711 W. Markham St	Little Rock	72205	Pulaski County	Lisa Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 500-5051	394	32	12.4	76.1%	42 (10.7%)	169 (42.9%)	162 (41.1%)	11 (2.8%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.3%)	43.6	176^th of 293 public high schools	39.9%		57	109^th of 291 public high schools	62.5%	67	35.5	40.4	37.9	36.4	44.5	40.3	6.4		6.4	45.0	3.3			10.7	88.9	26.9		38.0	$12,595	$1,077	$11,518
Graduate Arkansas Charter High	Public, Charter	9-12	6724 Interstate 30	Little Rock	72209	Pulaski County	Graduate Arkansas Charter	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 500-9270	557	10	53.1	99.1%	203 (36.4%)	251 (45.1%)	63 (11.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (7.0%)	20.5	251^st of 293 public high schools	14.3%		20	253^rd of 291 public high schools	13.1%	2	13.5	9.3	11.2	21.2	15.2	18.1	33.7		31.6	32.1	25.9	35.7	46.2	30.0	24.2	16.4	18.2	18.3	$8,304	$1,803	$6,501

Frequently Asked Questions about Estem High School

What district is Estem High School in?

Estem Public Charter School

What is the racial makeup of Estem High School?

Students at Estem High School are 63% African American, 16% White, 14% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Is Estem High School a good school?

Estem High School ranks 79^th of 293 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Estem High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 676 students attended Estem High School.

Rate Estem High School!

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Latest Arkansas data All new data »

2025–26 ATLAS test scoresJul 13, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesMar 5, 2026

2019–20 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 6, 2026

2017–18 through 2024–25 dropout ratesJan 6, 2026

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.