Clinton School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Clinton, Arkansas - 3 schools

An equity score of 50/100 ranks Clinton School District #121 of 250 districts in Arkansas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,478 per pupil, Clinton School District ranks #125 of 255 Arkansas districts by per-pupil spending (Arkansas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,338
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$12,478
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Clinton School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,338 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Arkansas. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Van Buren County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,478 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 255 Arkansas districts by per-pupil spending. See how Arkansas compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 36.2% local, 41.8% state, and 22.0% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 50/100, ranked #121 of 250 in Arkansas against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (21 AP courses district-wide), a 327.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 36.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 88.2% White, 8.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Clinton Jr High School, with a diversity index of 25.1/100.

Its largest campus is Cowsert Elementary School, enrolling 553 students (44% of the district's total enrollment).

Cowsert Elementary School accounts for 41.3% of all Clinton School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Clinton School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Clinton School District reports 100.0% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Clinton School District student-counselor ratio is 328:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Clinton School District is typically wider than the Clinton School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Clinton School District chronic absenteeism rate is 36.3% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

22.0%
Federal
41.8%
State
36.2%
Local

Funding Equity

50
Equity Score
121 / 250
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Clinton School District.

White 88.2%
Hispanic or Latino 8.9%
Multiracial 1.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 21.4/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Clinton School District's schools, below the Arkansas average of 40.4.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Clinton Jr High School 25.1
  2. 2 Cowsert Elementary School 21.0
  3. 3 Clinton High School 18.0

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
21 AP courses total
327.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
36.3%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Clinton School District

School Enrollment
Cowsert Elementary School
553
Clinton High School
390
Clinton Jr High School
317

How Clinton School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Arkansas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Booneville School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Fountain Lake School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Ashdown School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Lamar School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Elkins School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Clinton School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Arkansas

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Springdale School District
22,745 students · 29 schools · $12,146/pupil
Compare vs Clinton School District →
Little Rock School District
21,456 students · 40 schools · $15,959/pupil
Compare vs Clinton School District →
Bentonville School District
18,674 students · 24 schools · $12,377/pupil
Compare vs Clinton School District →
Rogers School District
15,964 students · 23 schools · $11,519/pupil
Compare vs Clinton School District →
Fort Smith School District
14,291 students · 27 schools · $12,459/pupil
Compare vs Clinton School District →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Clinton School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Springdale School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Clinton School District?

Clinton School District has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,338 students.

How much does Clinton School District spend per student?

Clinton School District spends $12,478 per student. The district has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #121 in Arkansas.

What is the demographic composition of Clinton School District?

Clinton School District students are 88.2% White, 8.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% Asian, 0.4% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Clinton School District?

Clinton School District has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #121 out of 250 districts in Arkansas.