Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Bobby G Lester Elementary School

Public Grades K-5

374^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 495 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Better than 24% of Arkansas elementary schools

Summary

Bobby G Lester Elementary School is a public elementary school in Jacksonville, AR, serving around 500 students in grades K-5. Despite consistent funding and a relatively low student-teacher ratio, the school has consistently underperformed the state and district averages on academic metrics over the past 5 years, ranking in the bottom quarter of Arkansas elementary schools.

Bobby G Lester Elementary struggles with low test scores, with only 22.1% of students proficient or better in Math and around 28% proficient in English Language Arts and Reading, compared to state averages of 38.7% and 34-35% respectively. The school also has extremely high rates of free and reduced lunch recipients, over 99% in recent years, indicating a very high-poverty student population. Interestingly, the nearby Bayou Meto Elementary and Murrell Taylor Elementary schools, which are also part of the Jacksonville North Pulaski School District, outperform Bobby G Lester on most academic metrics, despite having similar student demographics and funding levels.

The lack of improvement at Bobby G Lester Elementary over the past 5 years, despite favorable funding and staffing, suggests that the school's challenges are deeply rooted. The extremely high poverty levels likely play a significant role, and targeted interventions and additional resources may be needed to support the unique needs of this student population. Additionally, the low ranking and 1-star rating of the overall Jacksonville North Pulaski School District suggests that there may be systemic issues at the district level that are impacting the performance of individual schools like Bobby G Lester Elementary.

421

Students ?

13.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,165

Per pupil spending ?

45.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

601 Harris Road 72076
Jacksonville, AR 72076

(501) 982-7456

District: Jacksonville North Pulaski School District

Students who attend Bobby G Lester Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Jacksonville Middle School
High:	Jacksonville High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

44.9%

White:

33.7%

Hispanic:

11.4%

See top rated Arkansas elementary schools

Compare Bobby G Lester Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 34th percentile in 2021 → 24th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Arkansas average (26% vs 36% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (24th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 10 percentile points since 2021

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school26%

District avg17%

Arkansas avg36%

374^th of 495

Arkansas public elementary schools ?

Bottom 24%▼ down 9 pts since 2021

From bottom 34% (2021) to bottom 24% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Arkansas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 4Elementary Schools in the Jacksonville North Pulaski School District

216^th of 250Jacksonville North Pulaski School District 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
2025	28.5	374 of 495	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.4	390 of 497	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	21.8	400 of 492	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.7	360 of 487	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	38.5	329 of 496	33.7%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Arkansas (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts28%-6 vs state

Reading27%-8 vs state

Science26%-12 vs state

Mathematics22%-17 vs state

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★0

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

Rate Bobby G Lester Elementary School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, May 13, 2020

This school is absolutely terrible! Yes, the school is new and nice. However, they are a breeding ground for sexual harassment and assault. They say they are following there punishment book. This is suspect at best. My daughter has both of these happen to well more than a couple of times. Each time Mr. Beck has handled it with care and respect. His hands are tied and there is nothing more that he can do. Well, the fact that this is not a zero-tolerance policy shows me everything a parent needs to know about a school. Now, the state ranks in the bottom 5 states in the country. Their quality of education is lacking and you are better off homeschooling or sending them to private school. SAVE your child from the suffering of this school district and either go somewhere else or choose one of the other two options I have mentioned. Goof Luck parents! DONT GO HERE!!!!!!!!!!! Close Quote

Schools Near Bobby G Lester Elementary School

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 Science (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 All Grades	ATLAS Reading 3rd Grade	ATLAS Reading 4th Grade	ATLAS Reading 5th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 5th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Science 3rd Grade	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science 5th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Bobby G Lester Elementary School	Public	K-5	601 Harris Road 72076	Jacksonville	72076	Pulaski County	Jacksonville North Pulaski School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 982-7456	421	32	13.1	45.1%	142 (33.7%)	189 (44.9%)	48 (11.4%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	35 (8.3%)	28.5	374^th of 495 public elementary schools	24.4%		25.4	390^th of 497 public elementary schools	21.5%	16	20.3	28.6	36.5	28.4	20.3	26.0	34.9	26.9	12.5	26.0	27.0	22.1	23.5	27.3	27.0	26.0	$14,165	$1,169	$12,996
Jacksonville Lighthouse Elementary	Public, Charter	K-4	251 N. First Street	Jacksonville	72076	Pulaski County	Arkansas Lighthouse Charter Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 985-1200	210	14	15.0	84.3%	19 (9.0%)	160 (76.2%)	18 (8.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.2%)	17.4	430^th of 495 public elementary schools	13.1%		30.5	374^th of 497 public elementary schools	24.7%	56	14.7	18.4		16.9	14.7	26.6		21.7	17.6	16.3		16.9	23.5	30.6		27.7	$30,189	$7,691	$22,498
Jacksonville Elementary School	Public	K-5	2400 Linda Lane	Jacksonville	72076	Pulaski County	Jacksonville North Pulaski School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 457-8300	733	42	17.4	54.3%	150 (20.5%)	413 (56.3%)	72 (9.8%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	95 (13.0%)	6.2	487^th of 495 public elementary schools	1.6%		8	478^th of 497 public elementary schools	3.8%	9	9.2	8.1	13.2	10.0	12.2	11.6	17.0	13.5	8.4	5.4	10.3	8.0	8.4	7.2	10.3	8.6	$12,195	$1,755	$10,440
Cato Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	9906 Jacksonville Cato Road	Sherwood	72120	Pulaski County	Pulaski County Special School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 833-1160	305	17	17.4	60.7%	143 (46.9%)	97 (31.8%)	38 (12.5%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (7.9%)	46.1	282^nd of 495 public elementary schools	43.0%		52.8	236^th of 497 public elementary schools	52.5%	46	31.9	39.7	37.2	36.4	36.2	39.7	41.1	39.1	14.9	35.8	27.4	26.5	29.8	32.0	35.3	32.4	$13,309	$831	$12,478
Oakbrooke Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2200 Thornhill	Sherwood	72120	Pulaski County	Pulaski County Special School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 833-1190	408	26	15.6	57.1%	148 (36.3%)	198 (48.5%)	26 (6.4%)	7 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.1%)	42.4	300^th of 495 public elementary schools	39.4%		44.6	285^th of 497 public elementary schools	42.7%	15	26.9	39.1	31.2	32.7	19.3	45.3	41.6	36.8	26.9	25.0	29.9	27.5	23.1	40.6	28.6	31.1	$13,741	$1,250	$12,491
Murrell Taylor Elementary School	Public	K-5	1401 Murrell Taylor Drive	Jacksonville	72076	Pulaski County	Jacksonville North Pulaski School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 985-1581	428	28	15.2	62.9%	72 (16.8%)	278 (65.0%)	42 (9.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (7.9%)	41.2	302^nd of 495 public elementary schools	39.0%		15.8	438^th of 497 public elementary schools	11.9%	136	36.7	46.1	25.4	35.5	35.5	48.1	20.6	34.0	17.7	36.5	18.1	22.9	38.0	36.5	20.7	32.0	$16,007	$2,155	$13,852
William Jefferson Clinton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	142 Hollywood Avenue	Sherwood	72120	Pulaski County	Pulaski County Special School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 833-1200	586	39	15.0	72.9%	95 (16.2%)	365 (62.3%)	73 (12.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (8.7%)	24.5	392^nd of 495 public elementary schools	20.8%		23.8	403^rd of 497 public elementary schools	18.9%	11	20.5	28.4	23.4	23.8	21.5	32.8	26.6	26.7	18.0	34.4	25.5	25.5	14.1	23.9	20.2	19.2	$14,059	$1,358	$12,701
Bayou Meto Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	26405 Highway 107	Jacksonville	72076	Pulaski County	Jacksonville North Pulaski School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 988-4131	416	28	14.7	48.6%	254 (61.1%)	91 (21.9%)	36 (8.7%)	7 (1.7%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.5%)	38.6	321^st of 495 public elementary schools	35.2%		35	349^th of 497 public elementary schools	29.8%	28	26.1	37.1	28.5	30.1	28.6	40.7	28.5	32.1	26.0	29.7	23.8	26.3	30.4	35.2	38.1	34.4	$13,143	$1,471	$11,673
Sylvan Hills Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	402 Dee Jay Hudson Drive	Sherwood	72120	Pulaski County	Pulaski County Special School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 833-1140	516	29	17.7	48.8%	185 (35.9%)	234 (45.3%)	37 (7.2%)	14 (2.7%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (7.9%)	61.5	183^rd of 495 public elementary schools	63.0%		63.4	179^th of 497 public elementary schools	64.0%	4	43.2	47.6	39.3	43.4	45.9	47.6	41.8	45.1	25.7	43.8	26.6	32.2	32.5	55.1	38.0	42.1	$13,161	$1,117	$12,044
Sherwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	307 Verona Avenue	Sherwood	72120	Pulaski County	Pulaski County Special School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 833-1150	424	22	19.0	46.7%	173 (40.8%)	181 (42.7%)	28 (6.6%)	5 (1.2%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	33 (7.8%)	63.5	171^st of 495 public elementary schools	65.5%		71.1	129^th of 497 public elementary schools	74.0%	42	30.2	46.5	60.0	43.7	33.3	46.5	60.0	45.1	38.1	34.9	51.1	41.1	36.5	39.6	51.1	41.7	$14,181	$1,141	$13,040

Frequently Asked Questions about Bobby G Lester Elementary School

What district is Bobby G Lester Elementary School in?

Jacksonville North Pulaski School District

How many students attend Bobby G Lester Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 421 students attended Bobby G Lester Elementary School.

Is Bobby G Lester Elementary School a good school?

Bobby G Lester Elementary School ranks in the bottom 24.4% of Arkansas elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Bobby G Lester Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Bobby G Lester Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Jacksonville Middle School
High : Jacksonville High School

What is the racial makeup of Bobby G Lester Elementary School?

Students at Bobby G Lester Elementary School are 45% African American, 34% White, 11% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races.

Rate Bobby G Lester Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

ARArkansas Elementary School Rankings

ARArkansas District Rankings

Schools in Jacksonville, AR

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Bobby G Lester Elementary School!

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.