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Ward Central Elementary

Q: Is Ward Central Elementary a good school?

Ward Central Elementary ranks 59 th of 491 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-4

59^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 491 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Better than 88% of Arkansas elementary schools

Summary

Ward Central Elementary in Cabot, AR, is a PK-4 school serving 520 students as part of the highly-rated Cabot School District, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the 88th percentile statewide. This school stands out for its exceptional efficiency, achieving strong academic results while spending significantly less per student ($12,552) than nearby schools like Central Elementary ($14,251) and Westside Elementary ($14,024). Despite having a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (65.96%), Ward Central outperforms schools with much lower poverty rates, such as Southside Elementary (46.1%) and Stagecoach Elementary (45.95%), in nearly every academic subject—a strong indicator of effective teaching and a supportive environment.

Ward Central is a "math powerhouse," with 59.6% of all students proficient in math, outpacing the district (59.1%) and state (44.1%). However, its profile is unique: 4th-grade math scores (60.2%) are actually lower than the district average (64.9%), which is the opposite of most other district schools where 4th-grade scores typically exceed 3rd-grade scores. This suggests a potential challenge in transitioning students to more advanced math concepts in 4th grade. Additionally, the school shows a clear pattern of 3rd graders outperforming 4th graders in English Language Arts (64% vs. 56.3%), Reading (62% vs. 56.3%), and Science (60% vs. 52.4%), pointing to a need for a stronger focus on 4th-grade curriculum to maintain momentum.

Ward Central’s history is a remarkable turnaround story: in the 2016-2017 school year, it ranked in the 35th percentile with a 2-star rating, but over the next decade, it climbed to the 88th percentile and earned a consistent 4-star rating. This sustained improvement is more impressive than the sudden jumps seen at schools like Northside Elementary, suggesting deep, systemic changes that have created a lasting culture of success. While the clear academic leader in the district is Mountain Springs Elementary (98th percentile, 5-star rating), Ward Central’s strong performance despite its higher poverty rate is a testament to its effectiveness and value for families.

520

Students ?

16.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,552

Per pupil spending ?

66%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1570 Wilson Loop
Cabot, AR 72023

(501) 743-3569

District: Cabot School District

Students who attend Ward Central Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Cabot Junior High North
	Cabot Middle School North
High:	Cabot High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

78.7%

Two or more races:

11.2%

Hispanic:

8.1%

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 55th percentile in 2016 → 88th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Arkansas average (59% vs 42% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 12% of Arkansas elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 33 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school59%

District avg51%

Arkansas avg42%

59^th of 491

Arkansas public elementary schools ?

Top 12%▲ up 33 pts since 2016

From top 45% (2016) to top 12% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Arkansas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 9Elementary Schools in the Cabot School District

29^th of 251Cabot 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
2026	83.8	59 of 491	88.0%	★★★★☆
2025	87.0	53 of 495	89.3%	★★★★☆
2024	76.3	103 of 497	79.3%	★★★★☆
2023	83.0	61 of 492	87.6%	★★★★☆
2022	79.9	84 of 487	82.8%	★★★★☆
2021	66.8	164 of 496	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	73.7	112 of 488	77.0%	★★★★☆
2018	50.1	254 of 480	47.1%	★★☆☆☆
2017	40.6	313 of 485	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2016	55.0	223 of 494	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2015	50.2	215 of 466	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2014	59.4	203 of 471	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2013	57.1	237 of 476	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2012	70.2	126 of 468	73.1%	★★★★☆
2011	62.4	201 of 471	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2010	48.4	290 of 457	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	54.8	237 of 445	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2008	48.5	272 of 439	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2007	55.2	220 of 440	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2006	55.1	209 of 402	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2005	48.2	247 of 411	39.9%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Arkansas (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts60%+21 vs state

Mathematics60%+16 vs state

Reading59%+19 vs state

Science56%+12 vs state

★

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Schools Near Ward Central Elementary

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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 Mathematics (2026)			ATLAS Science (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 3rd Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 3rd Grade	ATLAS Reading 4th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Science 3rd Grade	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ward Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	1570 Wilson Loop	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 743-3569	520	32	16.0	66.0%	409 (78.7%)	10 (1.9%)	42 (8.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (11.2%)	83.8	59^th of 491 public elementary schools	88.0%		87	53^rd of 495 public elementary schools	89.3%	6	64.0	56.3	60.0	62.0	56.3	59.1	59.0	60.2	59.6	60.0	52.4	56.2	$12,552	$1,714	$10,838
Cabot Learning Academy	Public	K-4	18 Spirit Drive	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(501) 743-3540	28	2	15.5	78.6%	18 (64.3%)	3 (10.7%)	1 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (21.4%)								(n/a)			8.3			8.3			0.0			8.3
Eastside Elementary School	Public	K-5	17 Bellamy	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 743-3563	550	35	15.8	44.2%	423 (76.9%)	15 (2.7%)	45 (8.2%)	6 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (11.1%)	88.9	34^th of 491 public elementary schools	93.1%		82.8	68^th of 495 public elementary schools	86.3%	34	56.7	66.6	61.9	57.7	63.0	60.5	60.6	66.6	63.7	60.6	74.7	67.9	$10,087	$543	$9,544
Northside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	814 West Locust	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 743-3568	370	28	13.2	60.3%	268 (72.4%)	12 (3.2%)	33 (8.9%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	51 (13.8%)	78.6	88^th of 491 public elementary schools	82.1%		58.5	207^th of 495 public elementary schools	58.2%	119	66.7	42.3	55.2	60.6	42.3	52.0	62.1	55.9	59.2	68.2	54.2	61.6	$14,084	$1,476	$12,608
Stagecoach Elementary School	Public	K-4	850 Stagecoach	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 743-3574	481	30	15.8	45.9%	399 (83.0%)	6 (1.2%)	30 (6.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (9.4%)	81	76^th of 491 public elementary schools	84.5%		84.1	61^st of 495 public elementary schools	87.7%	15	63.5	48.1	55.3	62.4	48.1	54.8	67.7	70.2	69.0	60.3	47.2	53.3	$11,537	$669	$10,868
Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	36 Pond Street	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 743-3564	394	27	14.4	67.3%	296 (75.1%)	18 (4.6%)	28 (7.1%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (12.4%)	69	147^th of 491 public elementary schools	70.1%		58.5	208^th of 495 public elementary schools	58.0%	61	47.9	50.7	49.6	47.9	49.2	48.7	41.7	56.7	50.4	54.2	50.7	52.2	$14,251	$2,049	$12,202
Beebe Elementary School	Public	2-4	1201 W Center St	Beebe	72012	White County	Beebe School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 882-5463	904	49	18.4	63.7%	764 (84.5%)	37 (4.1%)	45 (5.0%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (5.9%)	55.3	228^th of 491 public elementary schools	53.6%		58.7	205^th of 495 public elementary schools	58.6%	23	31.7	45.3	38.7	32.9	46.4	39.9	48.5	57.9	53.3	46.7	45.3	45.9	$11,373	$1,346	$10,028
Westside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1701 South Second	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 743-3566	424	30	13.9	66.3%	288 (67.9%)	14 (3.3%)	63 (14.9%)	10 (2.4%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	46 (10.8%)	72.8	127^th of 491 public elementary schools	74.1%		87.7	51^st of 495 public elementary schools	89.7%	76	50.0	50.0	50.1	48.6	52.8	50.7	48.6	59.8	54.1	51.4	57.0	54.2	$14,024	$3,105	$10,920
Beebe Early Childhood	Public	K-1	1201 W Center St	Beebe	72012	White County	Beebe School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 882-5463	439	30	14.4	64.5%	348 (79.3%)	19 (4.3%)	27 (6.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	43 (9.8%)								(n/a)													$10,012	$1,084	$8,928
Southside Elementary School	Public	K-4	2600 South Pine	Cabot	72023	Lonoke County	Cabot School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 743-3567	551	32	17.4	46.1%	434 (78.8%)	11 (2.0%)	58 (10.5%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	43 (7.8%)	76.8	104^th of 491 public elementary schools	78.8%		75.9	104^th of 495 public elementary schools	79.0%		60.0	45.7	52.5	61.8	44.9	52.9	48.7	63.8	56.6	60.0	55.9	57.9	$9,906	$932	$8,974

Frequently Asked Questions about Ward Central Elementary

Is Ward Central Elementary a good school?

Ward Central Elementary ranks 59^th of 491 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Ward Central Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 520 students attended Ward Central Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Ward Central Elementary?

Students at Ward Central Elementary are 79% White, 11% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 2% African American.

What district is Ward Central Elementary in?

Cabot School District

What schools do graduates of Ward Central Elementary attend?

Students who attend Ward Central Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Cabot Junior High North
Middle : Cabot Middle School North
High : Cabot 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.