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Beard Elementary School

Q: Is Beard Elementary School a good school?

Beard Elementary School ranks 359 th of 495 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

359^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 495 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Better than 27% of Arkansas elementary schools

Summary

Beard Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in Fort Smith, Arkansas, with an enrollment of 287 students. The school is part of the Fort Smith School District, which is ranked 149 out of 250 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Beard Elementary consistently underperforms compared to the Fort Smith School District and the state of Arkansas in standardized test scores across all subjects and grade levels. In 2024-2025, only 26.2% of Beard students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 32.4% for the district and 34.7% for the state. The school's statewide ranking has also declined over the years, from 112th out of 466 Arkansas elementary schools in 2014-2015 to 359th out of 495 in 2024-2025, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Beard Elementary has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 77.35% to 81.88% in recent years, significantly higher than the district average. This indicates a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. Additionally, the school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 14.8 to 15.3 in recent years, which is lower than many of the nearby schools, such as Euper Lane Elementary School, John P. Woods Elementary School, and Cavanaugh Elementary School.

297

Students ?

15.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,170

Per pupil spending ?

78.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1600 Cavanaugh Rd
Fort Smith, AR 72908

(479) 646-0834

District: Fort Smith School District

Students who attend Beard Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Ramsey Middle School
High:	Southside High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

45.8%

Hispanic:

18.2%

Two or more races:

17.8%

See top rated Arkansas elementary schools

Compare Beard Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 76th percentile in 2015 → 27th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Arkansas average (28% vs 36% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 49 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school28%

District avg33%

Arkansas avg36%

359^th of 495

Arkansas public elementary schools ?

Bottom 27%▼ down 48 pts since 2015

From top 24% (2015) to bottom 27% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Arkansas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

11^th of 18Elementary Schools in the Fort Smith School District

149^th of 250Fort Smith 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	32.4	359 of 495	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	45.4	282 of 497	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	54.0	243 of 492	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	77.5	96 of 487	80.3%	★★★★☆
2021	52.9	255 of 496	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	52.0	265 of 488	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	57.0	222 of 480	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	64.6	153 of 485	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2016	54.2	227 of 494	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2015	69.5	112 of 466	76.0%	★★★★☆
2014	66.4	148 of 471	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2013	54.3	256 of 476	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	46.8	307 of 468	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2011	46.9	299 of 471	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2010	57.5	226 of 457	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2009	57.7	219 of 445	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2008	55.6	220 of 439	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2007	55.7	217 of 440	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2006	64.1	152 of 402	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2005	68.6	118 of 411	71.3%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Arkansas (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics34%-5 vs state

Science28%-10 vs state

English Language Arts26%-8 vs state

Reading26%-10 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, July 14, 2016

Wonderful learning environment. The teachers truly care about the students. Close Quote

Schools Near Beard 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
Beard Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1600 Cavanaugh Rd	Fort Smith	72908	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 646-0834	297	19	15.3	78.1%	136 (45.8%)	32 (10.8%)	54 (18.2%)	19 (6.4%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (17.8%)	32.4	359^th of 495 public elementary schools	27.5%		45.4	282^nd of 497 public elementary schools	43.3%	77	25.5	22.7	30.6	26.2	25.6	24.5	26.5	25.5	31.9	35.8	32.6	33.6	25.6	26.4	32.6	28.2	$14,170	$2,080	$12,089
Cavanaugh Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1025 School St	Fort Smith	72908	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 646-1131	303	18	16.6	71.9%	139 (45.9%)	38 (12.5%)	59 (19.5%)	16 (5.3%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (16.2%)	80.9	79^th of 495 public elementary schools	84.0%		67.8	151^st of 497 public elementary schools	69.6%	72	45.4	54.0	41.3	47.1	41.0	54.0	47.8	47.8	52.3	58.0	69.6	60.0	54.5	48.0	50.0	50.7	$14,156	$1,588	$12,568
Elmer H. Cook Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3517 Brooken Hill Dr	Fort Smith	72908	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 646-8880	459	24	19.3	57.1%	242 (52.7%)	36 (7.8%)	66 (14.4%)	18 (3.9%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	94 (20.5%)	76.5	101^st of 495 public elementary schools	79.6%		82.1	65^th of 497 public elementary schools	86.9%	36	50.0	58.5	46.5	51.9	47.2	53.3	42.3	47.7	48.6	57.2	38.0	48.2	45.8	55.9	33.8	45.5	$11,805	$1,594	$10,211
Carnall Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2524 South Tulsa St	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 646-3612	172	9	18.8	91.3%	79 (45.9%)	22 (12.8%)	40 (23.3%)	2 (1.2%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (16.3%)	23.3	400^th of 495 public elementary schools	19.2%		15.7	439^th of 497 public elementary schools	11.7%	39	20.9	37.0	16.7	25.3	25.0	37.0	20.9	28.0	16.7	22.2	16.7	18.7	25.0	22.2	12.5	20.0	$17,679	$2,202	$15,477
Raymond F. Orr Elementary School	Public	K-5	3609 Phoenix Ave	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 646-3711	235	14	17.0	70.6%	124 (52.8%)	18 (7.7%)	32 (13.6%)	12 (5.1%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (19.6%)	57.5	215^th of 495 public elementary schools	56.6%		59.7	208^th of 497 public elementary schools	58.1%	7	27.7	58.6	34.9	39.7	27.6	53.7	39.6	39.7	34.0	61.0	32.6	42.0	29.8	51.2	34.9	38.2	$16,992	$4,555	$12,437
Fairview Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2400 S Dallas St	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-3214	582	32	17.9	80.6%	236 (40.5%)	43 (7.4%)	178 (30.6%)	10 (1.7%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	110 (18.9%)	42.7	298^th of 495 public elementary schools	39.8%		52.7	237^th of 497 public elementary schools	52.3%	61	28.5	32.5	51.2	37.0	29.6	28.5	45.2	34.2	28.6	34.6	30.9	31.2	29.5	25.3	30.9	28.6	$11,809	$1,299	$10,510
Ballman Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2601 S Q St	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-1280	286	15	18.7	67.1%	144 (50.3%)	20 (7.0%)	79 (27.6%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (13.3%)	64.7	164^th of 495 public elementary schools	66.9%		61.2	200^th of 497 public elementary schools	59.8%	36	28.0	47.0	57.8	43.8	30.0	47.0	51.1	42.4	38.0	44.9	53.3	45.2	30.0	46.9	48.9	41.7	$13,689	$1,511	$12,178
Bonneville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2500 South Waldron Rd	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 478-3161	287	15	19.1	74.6%	114 (39.7%)	38 (13.2%)	65 (22.6%)	23 (8.0%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (15.0%)	61	190^th of 495 public elementary schools	61.6%		64.9	170^th of 497 public elementary schools	65.8%	20	34.1	46.4	44.0	40.8	36.1	46.4	42.0	40.8	33.4	50.0	40.0	39.7	39.6	46.4	34.0	38.9	$12,206	$1,033	$11,173
Euper Lane Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6601 Euper Ln	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 452-2601	397	24	16.2	61.5%	188 (47.4%)	26 (6.5%)	96 (24.2%)	16 (4.0%)	5 (1.3%)	1 (0.3%)	65 (16.4%)	57.4	217^th of 495 public elementary schools	56.2%		81.3	71^st of 497 public elementary schools	85.7%	146	36.4	43.1	42.6	40.9	31.8	43.2	42.6	39.6	47.8	41.2	40.7	42.9	36.4	33.4	27.8	32.3	$14,761	$1,961	$12,800
Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4111 Park Ave	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-4506	387	20	19.3	89.9%	79 (20.4%)	42 (10.9%)	210 (54.3%)	7 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (12.7%)	21.3	404^th of 495 public elementary schools	18.4%		18	432^nd of 497 public elementary schools	13.1%	28	15.1	30.3	28.3	24.0	16.6	25.0	30.2	23.4	16.7	26.7	24.5	22.3	12.1	26.8	15.1	17.7	$13,603	$2,816	$10,787

Frequently Asked Questions about Beard Elementary School

Is Beard Elementary School a good school?

Beard Elementary School ranks 359^th of 495 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Beard Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Beard Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ramsey Middle School
High : Southside High School

What district is Beard Elementary School in?

Fort Smith School District

What is the racial makeup of Beard Elementary School?

Students at Beard Elementary School are 46% White, 18% Hispanic, 18% Two or more races, 11% African American, 6% Asian, 1% American Indian.

How many students attend Beard Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 297 students attended Beard Elementary School.

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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.