Summary:
Zip code 72923, serving the Barling, Arkansas area, is home to a single elementary school, Barling Elementary School, which serves grades PK through 5 with a total enrollment of 316 students.
Barling Elementary School is a standout performer that consistently exceeds the averages of its district, the Fort Smith School District, and often the state of Arkansas. The school has shown a strong upward trajectory, improving its state ranking from the 46th percentile (2 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 61st percentile (3 stars) in 2025-2026. Its strongest subject is Mathematics, where 54.5% of all students were proficient in the 2025-2026 school year, compared to 40.1% for the district and 44.1% for the state. Fifth graders achieved an exceptional 63.1% proficiency rate in Math, outpacing the state average by over 18 percentage points. The school also performs well in English Language Arts (44.1% proficient) and Reading (46.2% proficient), both above district and state averages. Science is a relative area for growth, with overall proficiency at 43.5%, slightly below the state average of 44.0%, and third-grade science scores (32%) lagging significantly behind the state (45.4%).
A key takeaway is that Barling Elementary School achieves these strong academic results despite a high poverty rate, with 78.16% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. This "beating the odds" performance suggests effective school-specific strategies, as the Fort Smith School District itself is ranked in the 43rd percentile (2 stars). The school also demonstrates positive year-over-year momentum, with proficiency rates increasing in every core subject from the 2024-2025 to the 2025-2026 school year. With a student-teacher ratio of 17.7:1 and per-student spending of $11,916, Barling Elementary provides a focused and improving educational environment for its community.
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