Little Rock School District
Public school district · Pulaski County · Arkansas · NCES district ID 0509000
Little Rock School District spent $15,959 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, more than 98% of the other Arkansas districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 (median $11,785). Its 36 schools enrolled 19,834 students in 2024-25; 25.4% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $17,548 per student, up 10.0% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 81% (Arkansas: 89.9%).
NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method
Spending per student among Arkansas's largest districts
Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. Among the 10 districts shown, Little Rock ranks 1.
Where the money came from
$378,970,000 in revenue: 25.4% state, 55.1% local and 19.6% federal. Total spending including $86,523,000 of capital outlay was $447,878,000, or $20,874 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$96,102,000 25%
- Local$208,665,000 55%
- Federal$74,203,000 20%
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 123 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).
Enrollment fell from 2022-23 to 2024-25
21,456 students in 2022-23, 21,105 students in 2023-24, 19,834 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.
Teachers and students per teacher
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 21,456 | 1424.6 | 15.1 |
| 2023-24 | 21,105 | 1425.2 | 14.8 |
| 2024-25 | 19,834 | 1326.2 | 15.0 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$102,058,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $4,757 per student
Little Rock School District booked $102,058,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 1,425 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $71,641 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 99 in 100 Arkansas districts with a figure (state median $42,781, 205 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Arkansas teacher salary at $52,486 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
| Program | Teacher salaries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Regular programs | $71,184,000 | 69.7% |
| Special education | $15,401,000 | 15.1% |
| Vocational | $3,426,000 | 3.4% |
| Other programs | $12,047,000 | 11.8% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $4,263 in 2018-19, $4,313 in 2019-20, $4,528 in 2020-21, $4,644 in 2021-22, $4,757 in 2022-23.
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).
State test results, 2021-22
In 2021-22, the students tested in Little Rock School District scored proficient or above: 29% in reading and 25% in math, against 39.9% in reading and 38.3% in math across Arkansas. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within Arkansas, not across states.
| Subject | This district | Arkansas | Students tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and language arts | 29% | 39.9% | 12,447 |
| Math | 25% | 38.3% | 12,483 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.
Graduation rate, class of 2023
81% of the 1,521 students in Little Rock School District's class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 89.9% across Arkansas. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.
| This district | Arkansas | |
|---|---|---|
| Four-year graduation rate | 81% | 89.9% |
| Students in the class | 1,521 | 35,156 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.
23 elementary schools, 10,083 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Don Roberts Elementary School | 1,035 | 19.3 | 20.6% | Not Title I |
| Chicot Elementary School | 897 | 17.6 | 99.7% | Schoolwide program |
| J.a. Fair K8 Preparatory School | 779 | 14.7 | 99.6% | Schoolwide program |
| Forest Heights STEM Academy | 777 | 16.4 | 38.6% | Schoolwide program |
| Wakefield Elementary School | 493 | 17.0 | 99.4% | Schoolwide program |
| Fulbright Elementary School | 485 | 17.6 | 43.5% | Schoolwide program |
| Stephens Elementary | 474 | 17.6 | 99.4% | Schoolwide program |
| M.L. King Elementary School | 414 | 14.9 | 99.3% | Schoolwide program |
| Watson Elementary School | 383 | 17.4 | 99.2% | Schoolwide program |
| Forest Park Elementary School | 379 | 18.1 | 24.5% | Not Title I |
| Otter Creek Elementary School | 372 | 15.9 | 99.2% | Schoolwide program |
| Mabelvale Elementary School | 369 | 16.8 | 99.2% | Schoolwide program |
The other 11 elementary schools
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Elementary School | 359 | 16.4 | 24.8% | Not Title I |
| Williams Magnet Elementary School | 340 | 16.2 | 54.7% | Schoolwide program |
| Bale Elementary School | 330 | 15.0 | 99.1% | Schoolwide program |
| Terry Elementary School | 328 | 15.6 | 99.1% | Schoolwide program |
| Washington Elementary School | 315 | 16.6 | 99.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Brady Elementary School | 309 | 14.7 | 99.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Gibbs Magnet Elementary School | 291 | 14.6 | 37.5% | Schoolwide program |
| Pulaski Heights Elementary School | 266 | 17.8 | 34.2% | Schoolwide program |
| Mcdermott Elementary School | 254 | 14.1 | 98.8% | Schoolwide program |
| Carver Steam Magnet Elementary School | 232 | 13.5 | 98.7% | Schoolwide program |
| Western Hills Elementary School | 202 | 12.6 | 98.5% | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
5 middle schools, 2,741 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinnacle View Middle School | 807 | 14.2 | 40.6% | Targeted program |
| Pulaski Heights Middle School | 585 | 14.3 | 48.4% | Schoolwide program |
| Mann Magnet Middle School | 557 | 13.7 | 99.5% | Schoolwide program |
| Mabelvale Middle School | 477 | 13.1 | 99.4% | Schoolwide program |
| Dunbar Magnet Middle School | 315 | 9.8 | 99.0% | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
4 high schools, 5,983 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School | 2,371 | 14.7 | 45.6% | Schoolwide program |
| Little Rock Southwest High School | 2,045 | 12.0 | 99.9% | Schoolwide program |
| Parkview Magnet High School | 1,072 | 13.7 | 48.2% | Schoolwide program |
| Little Rock West High School of Innovation | 495 | 12.1 | 54.5% | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
4 other schools, 1,027 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockefeller Early Childhood Center | 317 | 21.2 | 99.1% | Not Title I |
| Geyer Springs Early Childhood Center | 273 | 19.5 | 98.9% | Eligible, no program |
| Romine Early Childhood Center | 242 | 18.6 | 98.8% | Not Title I |
| Fair Park Early Childhood Ctr | 195 | 19.5 | 33.8% | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
3 more schools on file: small, closed or in an earlier directory
These records carry fewer federal fields than a full school page needs, so each is summarized here with what NCES reports.
Cloverdale Middle School
Middle school in Little Rock; last listed in the 2024-25 NCES directory (closed); 665 students; 12.4 students per teacher.
Little Rock Hall Steam Magnet High School
High school in Little Rock; last listed in the 2024-25 NCES directory (closed); 335 students; 11.7 students per teacher.
Baseline Elementary School
Elementary school in Little Rock; last listed in the 2024-25 NCES directory (closed); 281 students; 15.9 students per teacher.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 and earlier directories: the last year each school was listed, its students and its teachers.
Contact Little Rock School District
- Website: lrsd.org
- Phone: (501) 447-1000
- Office: 810 West Markham St, Little Rock, AR 72201
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.
What to look at next about Little Rock School District
- Arkansas districts by spending per studentLittle Rock School District ranks 4 of 123 Arkansas districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($15,959).#4 of 123
- Every school district in ArkansasLittle Rock School District is the number 2 by size of 259 Arkansas districts, with 21,456 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#2 of 259
- Springdale School DistrictThe next larger Arkansas district: 22,745 students in fall 2022, $12,146 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$12,146
- Bentonville School District 6The next smaller Arkansas district: 18,674 students in fall 2022, $12,377 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$12,377
- Compare Little Rock School District with Springdale School DistrictEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Central High School, its largest high school2,371 students in 2024-25, 14.7 per teacher.2,371
- Teacher salary spending across ArkansasLittle Rock School District spent $71,641 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $42,781); spending, not a salary.$71,641
- Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).
Questions about Little Rock School District
How many schools and students are in Little Rock School District?
36 schools were open in 2024-25 (23 elementary, 5 middle, 4 high, 4 other), enrolling 19,834 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does Little Rock School District spend per student?
$15,959 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the Arkansas median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $11,785 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $17,548 per student, up 10.0% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does Little Rock School District's money come from?
$378,970,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 25.4% state, 55.1% local and 19.6% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in Little Rock School District live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 6,765 of the 30,207 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 22.4%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.How much does Little Rock School District spend on teacher salaries?
$102,058,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $4,757 per student. Divided by the 1,425 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $71,641 per teacher, more than 99 in 100 Arkansas districts (state median $42,781). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Arkansas teacher salary at $52,486 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).How do students in Little Rock School District do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in Little Rock School District scored proficient or above: 29% in reading and 25% in math, against 39.9% in reading and 38.3% in math across Arkansas. Arkansas's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.What is the graduation rate in Little Rock School District?
81% of the 1,521 students in Little Rock School District's class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 89.9% across Arkansas. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.What is Little Rock School District's NCES district ID?
0509000. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.
Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.
Sources
Every federal file behind this record
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
- Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
- EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
- EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
- NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25