Summary:
In zip code 72908 (Fort Smith, AR), three elementary schools within the Fort Smith School District serve students from kindergarten through 5th grade, offering a range of academic performances and resource allocations that reveal important trends for parents.
Elmer H. Cook Elementary School is the standout performer, consistently earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 83rd percentile statewide with 55.7% of students proficient across subjects—well above the state average of 42.0%. Despite having the highest student-teacher ratio (19.3:1) and lowest per-student spending ($11,805), it achieves the best results. In contrast, Beard Elementary School has the highest spending ($14,170) and smallest class sizes (15.3:1) but the lowest performance, with 41.3% proficiency and a 49th percentile ranking. However, Beard showed a dramatic turnaround, jumping from the 27th to the 49th percentile between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, particularly in English Language Arts. Cavanaugh Elementary School is a consistent strong performer, with 53.5% proficiency and a 78th percentile ranking, outperforming state averages despite a 71.95% free/reduced lunch rate.
A key takeaway is the inverse relationship between resources and outcomes: higher spending and lower student-teacher ratios at Beard do not translate to higher scores, suggesting factors like curriculum and school culture matter more. Socioeconomic status strongly correlates with performance, as schools with higher free/reduced lunch percentages (Beard at 78.11%, Cavanaugh at 71.95%, Cook at 57.08%) tend to have lower scores. Additionally, Beard’s 4th graders struggled significantly in 2025-2026, with only 29.8% proficient in ELA and 27.7% in Science, pointing to a potential grade-level instructional issue. Overall, Cook and Cavanaugh offer strong academic options, while Beard shows promising improvement but still faces challenges.
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