Summary:
In zip code 72040, there is one elementary school, Des Arc Elementary School, serving grades PK through 6 with 379 students in the Des Arc, Arkansas area. This school is part of the Des Arc School District, which ranks in the top 15% of all districts in Arkansas (86th percentile) and holds a 4-star rating, indicating strong district-level leadership and support.
Des Arc Elementary School shows a notable strength in Mathematics, with 53% of students proficient compared to the state average of 44.1%, while Science lags behind at 41.5% proficiency versus the state's 44%. The school's 6th grade class is a standout, achieving 78% proficiency in Math and 62% in English Language Arts, far exceeding state averages. However, 4th and 5th grades struggle, with 4th graders scoring just 30.2% in ELA and 25.6% in Science, creating a "U-shaped" performance curve where the youngest and oldest grades excel but middle grades lag. The school serves a high-poverty population, with 74.14% of students receiving free/reduced lunch, yet its overall Math performance remains well above the state average, suggesting effective math instruction despite economic challenges.
Despite the district's strong standing, the school's state ranking dropped from the 79th percentile in 2024-2025 to the 53rd percentile in 2025-2026, reflecting year-over-year declines in all subjects: ELA fell from 48.3% to 41.9%, Math from 56.3% to 53.0%, and Science from 48.3% to 41.5%. The student-teacher ratio is 15.5:1, and per-student spending is $10,565. For parents, this school offers a mixed picture: excellent math instruction and a high-performing 6th grade, but concerning declines in middle grades and science, making it important to monitor grade-level progress closely.
Thank you for your feedback!