Summary:
This analysis examines five elementary schools in Sherwood, Arkansas (zip code 72120), all part of the Pulaski County Special School District, serving grades PK through 5 with enrollments ranging from 305 to 586 students.
Sherwood Elementary School stands out as the top performer, ranking 156th out of 491 schools statewide (68th percentile) with a 3-star rating. It leads the area in English Language Arts (52.5% proficient), Reading (56.3%), and Science (55.7%), significantly outperforming district and state averages. However, it has a notable weakness in 3rd Grade Mathematics, where only 14.6% of students are proficient—far below the state average of 45.5%. Cato Elementary School is the most improved, jumping 65 places in state ranking from the 43rd to the 56th percentile between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, now exceeding state averages in ELA and Reading. Sylvan Hills Elementary School has been remarkably consistent, ranking in the 56-64th percentile for three consecutive years. Oakbrooke Elementary School ranks 319th (35th percentile) with moderate performance. William Jefferson Clinton Elementary School faces the most significant challenges, ranking 418th (15th percentile) with only 25.4% proficiency in both Math and Science.
Key findings show that higher per-student spending does not guarantee success—Sherwood ($14,181 per student) and Clinton ($14,059) are at opposite ends of performance. There is a clear link between poverty rates and test scores, with Clinton having the highest free/reduced lunch rate (72.87%) and lowest scores, while Sherwood (46.70%) and Sylvan Hills (48.84%) have lower poverty rates and higher performance. Despite the district's overall 2-star rating, three schools—Sherwood, Sylvan Hills, and Cato—exceeded the state average in Science proficiency, suggesting a local strength in science education.
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