Summary:
This analysis examines three elementary schools in zip code 72032, which covers parts of Conway and Vilonia, Arkansas, serving grades K-3 or K-4: Theodore Jones Elementary School, Preston & Florence Mattison Elementary School, and Vilonia Primary School.
Vilonia Primary School is the standout performer, part of the top-ranked Vilonia School District (6th out of 251 districts in Arkansas). It achieves dramatically higher test scores than the other two schools, with 2025-2026 proficiency rates of 60.5% in ELA, 72.1% in Math, and 67.4% in Science—roughly 20-30 percentage points above state averages. In contrast, Theodore Jones Elementary School and Preston & Florence Mattison Elementary School are part of the Conway School District, which ranks 89th (65th percentile). Theodore Jones is a middle-of-the-pack school with 491 students and proficiency rates near state averages, while Mattison is the lowest-performing school, with only 31.8% Math proficiency and a 32nd percentile state ranking in 2025-2026.
A key takeaway is that higher spending does not guarantee better results. Preston & Florence Mattison Elementary School has the highest per-student spending ($12,297) but the lowest test scores, while Vilonia Primary School spends less ($11,605) and achieves far better outcomes. Math is the biggest differentiator, with Vilonia’s 72.1% proficiency rate more than double Mattison’s 31.8%. Parents should also note that school rankings can fluctuate year-to-year—Vilonia Primary dropped from the 98th to 76th percentile before rebounding to 95th—so a single year’s data may not fully represent long-term quality.
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