Summary
Waldron Elementary School in Waldron, AR, serves 648 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 4th grade and is part of the Waldron School District, with a high level of economic disadvantage reflected in a 73.15% free/reduced lunch rate for the 2024-2025 school year.
Academically, Waldron Elementary performs below the Arkansas state average across all core subjects, with 36.2% of students proficient in English Language Arts, 32.2% in Reading, 30% in Mathematics, and 41.1% in Science in the 2025-2026 school year. This places the school in the 30th percentile statewide, earning a 2-star rating. When compared to nearby schools, Waldron is outperformed by Acorn Elementary School (19 miles away), which achieved higher proficiency rates in every subject—such as 44.1% in Reading versus Waldron’s 32.2%—despite spending significantly less per student ($11,329 vs. $14,018). Waldron also has a higher student-teacher ratio (17.3:1) than Acorn (14.8:1) and Mansfield Elementary School (13:1), which may impact classroom attention. However, Waldron performs better than Mansfield, which ranks in the 14th percentile with much lower test scores, such as 22.1% in English Language Arts.
An interesting finding is that Science is Waldron’s strongest subject, with proficiency just 2.9 percentage points below the state average, compared to larger gaps in Reading and Math. The school’s state ranking has remained stagnant in the 30th percentile over the past five years, showing no clear upward trend. The higher spending per student compared to Acorn, combined with lower outcomes, suggests a need to evaluate how funds are allocated, particularly toward reducing class sizes or improving instructional programs. For parents, this school offers a supportive environment in a high-poverty community, but academic growth in literacy and math remains a key area for improvement.
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