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Southside High School

Q: Is Southside High School a good school?

Southside High School ranks 77 th of 291 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

77^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 291 Arkansas High Schools

Better than 74% of Arkansas high schools

Summary

Southside High School is a public high school in Fort Smith, Arkansas, serving 1,970 students in grades 9-12. It 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.

Southside High School consistently ranks among the top high schools in Arkansas, with a statewide ranking between 11 and 77 over the past 10 years. It has maintained a 4 or 5-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating strong academic performance. The school's test scores are generally higher than the district and state averages across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, Southside High School had 37.9% of students proficient or better in ATLAS/English Language Arts for all grades, compared to 32.4% for the Fort Smith School District and 34.7% for the state.

Despite the high academic performance, Southside High School serves a significant population of economically disadvantaged students, as indicated by the high free and reduced lunch rates ranging from 47.16% to 47.44% over the past three school years. The school's student-teacher ratio is also lower, ranging from 9.3 to 10.5 over the past three school years, compared to the other nearby schools. Northside High School, another school in the Fort Smith School District, significantly underperforms Southside High School in academic performance and test scores.

2,053

Students ?

10.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,816

Per pupil spending ?

48.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4100 Gary St
Fort Smith, AR 72903

(479) 646-7371

District: Fort Smith School District

Feeder schools for Southside High School:

Elementary:	Barling Elementary School
	Beard Elementary School
	Bonneville Elementary School
	Carnall Elementary School
	More...
	Cavanaugh Elementary School
	Elmer H. Cook Elementary School
	Fairview Elementary School
	John P. Woods Elementary School
	Raymond F. Orr Elementary School
Middle:	L. A. Chaffin Middle School
	Ramsey Middle School

Racial breakdown:

White:

52.5%

Hispanic:

22.5%

Two or more races:

9.8%

See top rated Arkansas high schools

Compare Southside High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 91st percentile in 2015 → 74th in 2025

Strengths

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Fort Smith School District

✓Above the Arkansas median (74th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 17 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school36%

District avg32%

Arkansas avg34%

77^th of 291

Arkansas public high schools ?

Top 26%▼ down 17 pts since 2015

From top 9% (2015) to top 26% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Arkansas High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 4High 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	63.4	77 of 291	73.5%	★★★★☆
2024	68.0	71 of 305	76.7%	★★★★☆
2023	83.5	31 of 295	89.5%	★★★★☆
2022	79.8	28 of 282	90.1%	★★★★★
2021	86.7	16 of 290	94.5%	★★★★★
2019	86.2	16 of 282	94.3%	★★★★★
2018	88.1	14 of 263	94.7%	★★★★★
2017	89.3	14 of 264	94.7%	★★★★★
2016	90.9	11 of 269	95.9%	★★★★★
2015	74.0	24 of 267	91.0%	★★★★★
2014	71.0	36 of 268	86.6%	★★★★☆
2013	76.3	24 of 271	91.1%	★★★★★
2012	79.0	14 of 266	94.7%	★★★★★
2011	72.1	29 of 266	89.1%	★★★★☆
2010	71.8	32 of 262	87.8%	★★★★☆
2009	75.1	26 of 261	90.0%	★★★★★
2008	72.5	28 of 256	89.1%	★★★★☆
2007	51.2	106 of 258	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2006	53.9	88 of 232	62.1%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Arkansas (2024-2025) ?

Biology51%+14 vs state

English Language Arts38%+3 vs state

Reading38%~ state avg

Algebra24%-7 vs state

Geometry23%~ state avg

3.5

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★1

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, May 8, 2023

Excellent school and teachers. Close Quote

Schools Near Southside High 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 Algebra (2025)			ATLAS Geometry (2025)			ATLAS Science (2025)				ATLAS Biology (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 6th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 9th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 10th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 6th Grade	ATLAS Reading 7th Grade	ATLAS Reading 8th Grade	ATLAS Reading 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading 10th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 6th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 7th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 8th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Algebra 8th Grade	ATLAS Algebra 9th Grade	ATLAS Algebra All Grades	ATLAS Geometry 9th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 10th Grade	ATLAS Geometry All Grades	ATLAS Science 6th Grade	ATLAS Science 7th Grade	ATLAS Science 8th Grade	ATLAS Science 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
Southside High School	Public	9-12	4100 Gary St	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 646-7371	2,053	191	10.7	48.3%	1,077 (52.5%)	140 (6.8%)	462 (22.5%)	151 (7.4%)	21 (1.0%)	1 (0.0%)	201 (9.8%)	63.4	77^th of 291 public high schools	73.5%		68	71^st of 305 public high schools	76.7%	6				39.2	36.7	37.9				38.4	36.7	37.6						22.8	23.8	47.7	11.4	23.4					77.4	38.1		51.2	$12,816	$1,943	$10,873
Premier High School Of Fort Smith	Public, Charter	9-12	3400 Rogers Ave Ste 126	Little Rock	72202	Sebastian County	Premier High Schools Of Arkansas	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(479) 366-9410	99	31	3.1	40.4%	54 (54.5%)	19 (19.2%)	22 (22.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.0%)	18.5	258^th of 291 public high schools	11.3%		16.6	272^nd of 305 public high schools	10.8%	14				16.7	16.7	16.7				16.7	22.2	19.5
Northside High School	Public	9-12	2301 N B St	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-1171	2,231	199	11.2	77.4%	404 (18.1%)	316 (14.2%)	1,234 (55.3%)	100 (4.5%)	13 (0.6%)	4 (0.2%)	160 (7.2%)	36.1	198^th of 291 public high schools	32.0%		30.8	231^st of 305 public high schools	24.3%	33				18.4	27.1	22.5				18.7	29.1	23.6						17.0	16.9	40.3	14.0	19.6					56.1	29.8	0.0	34.2	$11,877	$1,501	$10,376
Belle Point Alternative Center	Public	6-12	1501 Dodson Ave	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 783-7034	39	9	4.1	92.3%	17 (43.6%)	9 (23.1%)	10 (25.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (7.7%)	2.4	288^th of 291 public high schools	1.0%		8.7	299^th of 305 public high schools	2.0%	11				0.0		0.0				0.0		0.0				0.0															$27,301	$1,478	$25,823
Western Arkansas Technical Center	Public	9-12	5210 Grand Ave	Fort Smith	72913	Sebastian County	Westark Technical Center	No	No	No	No	(479) 788-7720	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Future School Of Fort Smith	Public, Charter	9-12	622 N 7th St	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Future School Of Fort Smith	Yes	No	No	Yes	(479) 431-8695	235	43	5.5	100.0%	128 (54.5%)	35 (14.9%)	41 (17.4%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (9.8%)	27.3	233^rd of 291 public high schools	19.9%		32.2	222^nd of 305 public high schools	27.2%	11				13.9	26.1	20.7				19.4	28.2	24.4						0.0	0.0		6.8	6.4						26.2		26.1	$15,047	$2,893	$12,154
Fort Smith Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter	6-12	3205 Jenny Lind Rd	Fort Smith	72903	Sebastian County	Fort Smith School District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(844) 989-3399	106	13	8.4	63.2%	50 (47.2%)	16 (15.1%)	23 (21.7%)	2 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (14.2%)	33.9	312^th of 495 public high schools	37.0%		14.8	281^st of 305 public high schools	7.9%	31	30.0	40.0	17.6	38.9	23.1	28.4	40.0	40.0	29.4	33.3	23.1	30.9	20.0	0.0	13.3	11.4		11.8	10.5		0.0	0.0	30.0	20.0	35.3	29.7		20.0		22.7
Institute For The Creative Arts School	Public, Charter	9-12	1101 Riverfront Drive	Fort Smith	72901	Sebastian County	Institute For The Creative Arts	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(479) 434-2114	49	13	3.7	34.7%	40 (81.6%)	1 (2.0%)	2 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.1%)								(n/a)				43.4	53.3	47.3				47.8	46.7	47.4						11.2	10.0		0.0	11.8								45.5
Haas Hall Academy Fort Smith	Public, Charter	7-12	1000 Fianna Way Ste 430	Fort Smith	72916	Sebastian County	Haas Hall Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(479) 977-4930	101	14	6.9	3.0%	56 (55.4%)	6 (5.9%)	8 (7.9%)	12 (11.9%)	4 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (14.9%)	95	8^th of 291 public high schools	97.3%		95.8	4^th of 305 public high schools	98.7%	4		78.6	95.3	81.3	71.4	83.0		85.7	85.7	87.5	64.3	81.6		60.0		65.2	90.0		88.9			80.0		92.8	90.4	91.4	70.0	91.6		82.6
Van Buren High School	Public	10-12	2001 Pointer Trail	Van Buren	72956	Crawford County	Van Buren School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 474-6821	1,232	115	10.7	57.9%	750 (60.9%)	31 (2.5%)	307 (24.9%)	34 (2.8%)	19 (1.5%)	3 (0.2%)	88 (7.1%)	66.4	66^th of 291 public high schools	77.3%		61.5	100^th of 305 public high schools	67.2%	34					42.8	42.8					41.8	41.8									8.5	8.5						41.1		40.9	$12,386	$536	$11,850

Frequently Asked Questions about Southside High School

What district is Southside High School in?

Fort Smith School District

How many students attend Southside High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 2,053 students attended Southside High School.

Is Southside High School a good school?

Southside High School ranks 77^th of 291 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into Southside High School?

Southside High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Barling Elementary School
Elementary : Beard Elementary School
Elementary : Bonneville Elementary School
Elementary : Carnall Elementary School
Elementary : Cavanaugh Elementary School
Elementary : Elmer H. Cook Elementary School
Elementary : Fairview Elementary School
Elementary : John P. Woods Elementary School
Elementary : Raymond F. Orr Elementary School
Middle : L. A. Chaffin Middle School
Middle : Ramsey Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Southside High School?

Students at Southside High School are 52% White, 23% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 7% Asian, 7% African American, 1% American Indian.

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Schools in Fort Smith, AR

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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.