Summary
Parson Hills Elementary School in Springdale, AR, serves 517 students in grades PK-5 and is part of the Springdale School District, with over 95% of its students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch—the highest rate among nearby schools.
Parson Hills has historically performed in the bottom 10-15% of Arkansas elementary schools, but recent data shows a dramatic turnaround. From the 2024-2025 to the 2025-2026 school year, proficiency jumped significantly: English Language Arts rose from 15.3% to 26.7%, Mathematics from 16.6% to 33.5%, and Science from 12.3% to 29.7%. This improvement is unparalleled among nearby schools, and the school’s state ranking climbed from the 6th to the 18th percentile—its best in over a decade. However, Parson Hills still trails both district and state averages in every subject. A notable strength is 5th grade, where students outperformed the district average in Mathematics (42.6% vs. 42.2%) and Science (39.1% vs. 38.4%). In contrast, 4th grade is a consistent weakness, with only 17.2% proficient in ELA and 15.7% in Reading, far below the district average of about 38%.
Parson Hills is part of a cluster of four high-poverty, low-performing schools within a 1.5-mile radius, including Linda Childers Knapp Elementary School, Jones Elementary School, and Bayyari Elementary School. In contrast, schools just a few miles away, like John Tyson Elementary School (82nd percentile) and Harp Elementary School (46th percentile), have significantly lower poverty rates and much higher performance. Parson Hills spends $13,354 per student, more than John Tyson ($11,594) but less than Knapp ($14,680) and Harp ($18,402), suggesting that how resources are used matters more than the amount spent. The school’s rapid improvement, especially in math, signals a potential turning point for families considering this school.
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