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Joann Walters Elementary School

Q: Is Joann Walters Elementary School a good school?

Joann Walters Elementary School ranks 245 th of 491 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-6

245^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 491 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Better than 50% of Arkansas elementary schools

Summary

Joann Walters Elementary School in Dierks, AR, serves 288 students in grades K-6 and is part of the Dierks School District, a district that has recently earned a 3-star rating after a period of improvement.

One of the most compelling stories at Joann Walters is its remarkable two-year academic turnaround. After a low point in the 2023-2024 school year, the school has seen English Language Arts proficiency jump by 47% and Math proficiency by 29%. This rapid improvement is a testament to effective teaching and targeted interventions. The school also stands out for its fiscal efficiency, spending $11,779 per student—significantly less than nearby Mineral Springs Elementary School ($18,953) and Murfreesboro Elementary School ($13,412)—while achieving a higher overall state ranking than both. This means families are getting strong academic results with responsible use of resources.

A unique strength of Joann Walters is its "upper-grade advantage." The school's 5th and 6th graders consistently outperform the state average in English, reading, math, and science, which is a stark contrast to nearby schools like Murfreesboro Elementary, where math proficiency drops sharply from 4th to 5th grade. This suggests Joann Walters is particularly effective at preparing students for the transition to middle school. Interestingly, the school's 3rd graders also hold their own, even outperforming Nashville Primary School in 3rd-grade science, despite Nashville being in a higher-ranked district. This pattern of strong performance in both early and later elementary grades makes Joann Walters a standout choice for families seeking consistent academic growth.

288

Students ?

14.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,779

Per pupil spending ?

86.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

800 Old Hwy 70 West
Dierks, AR 71833

(870) 286-2015

District: Dierks School District

Students who attend Joann Walters Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Dierks High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.9%

Hispanic:

13.9%

Two or more races:

4.5%

See top rated Arkansas elementary schools

Compare Joann Walters Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 68th percentile in 2016 → 50th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Arkansas median (50th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 18 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school42%

District avg38%

Arkansas avg42%

245^th of 491

Arkansas public elementary schools ?

Top 50%▼ down 18 pts since 2016

From top 32% (2016) to top 50% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Arkansas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

159^th of 251Dierks 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	52.0	245 of 491	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	45.7	284 of 495	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	38.2	328 of 497	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	63.0	186 of 492	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	47.6	283 of 487	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	60.9	202 of 496	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	44.4	302 of 488	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.6	247 of 480	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	63.2	164 of 485	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2016	63.4	157 of 494	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2015	70.7	105 of 466	77.5%	★★★★☆
2014	66.0	149 of 471	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2013	60.5	202 of 476	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2012	62.5	199 of 468	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2011	57.9	234 of 471	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2010	71.4	116 of 457	74.6%	★★★★☆
2009	72.2	110 of 445	75.3%	★★★★☆
2008	63.0	186 of 439	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2007	70.0	126 of 440	71.4%	★★★★☆
2006	69.8	119 of 402	70.4%	★★★★☆
2005	78.9	56 of 411	86.4%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Arkansas (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics45%~ state avg

Science43%~ state avg

English Language Arts40%~ state avg

Reading39%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Joann Walters Elementary 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 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 5th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 6th 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 All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 5th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 6th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Science 3rd Grade	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science 5th Grade	ATLAS Science 6th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Joann Walters Elementary School	Public	K-6	800 Old Hwy 70 West	Dierks	71833	Howard County	Dierks School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 286-2015	288	20	14.6	86.5%	233 (80.9%)	2 (0.7%)	40 (13.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.5%)	52	245^th of 491 public elementary schools	50.1%		45.7	284^th of 495 public elementary schools	42.6%	39	37.5	33.4	45.0	45.3	40.1	37.5	33.4	42.5	43.4	39.0	47.5	40.8	40.0	51.0	44.9	47.5	38.9	35.0	50.9	43.4	$11,779	$1,491	$10,288
Nashville Primary School	Public	K-3	1201 North Eighth St.	Nashville	71852	Howard County	Nashville School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 845-3510	569	36	15.7	99.5%	297 (52.2%)	111 (19.5%)	144 (25.3%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.3%)	56.8	216^th of 491 public elementary schools	56.0%		60.3	194^th of 495 public elementary schools	60.8%	22	43.1				43.1	42.5				42.5	55.5				55.5	41.7				41.7	$10,414	$1,602	$8,812
Mineral Springs Elementary School	Public	K-6	130 West McCrary St	Mineral Springs	71851	Howard County	Mineral Springs School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 287-4746	204	20	10.0	87.3%	40 (19.6%)	116 (56.9%)	29 (14.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (8.3%)	27	393^rd of 491 public elementary schools	20.0%		25	390^th of 495 public elementary schools	21.2%	3	20.9	24.0	30.0	28.0	25.5	20.9	24.0	40.0	28.0	27.7	16.7	32.0	45.0	64.0	39.4	16.7	36.0	30.0	24.0	26.6	$18,953	$1,956	$16,997
Murfreesboro Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	605 3rd Avenue	Murfreesboro	71958	Pike County	South Pike County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 285-2193	383	25	15.3	99.2%	330 (86.2%)	8 (2.1%)	18 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (7.0%)	46.5	276^th of 491 public elementary schools	43.8%		59	203^rd of 495 public elementary schools	59.0%	73	33.3	35.4	33.3	40.4	35.6	36.2	39.6	33.3	40.4	37.3	58.3	62.5	35.2	44.7	49.2	36.1	54.1	24.1	36.2	37.3	$13,412	$1,787	$11,625

Frequently Asked Questions about Joann Walters Elementary School

Is Joann Walters Elementary School a good school?

Joann Walters Elementary School ranks 245^th of 491 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Joann Walters Elementary School?

Students at Joann Walters Elementary School are 81% White, 14% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

How many students attend Joann Walters Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 288 students attended Joann Walters Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Joann Walters Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Joann Walters Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Dierks High School

What district is Joann Walters Elementary School in?

Dierks School District

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Latest Arkansas data All new data »

2025–26 ATLAS test scoresNewJul 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.