Ouachita 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.

Donaldson, Arkansas - 2 schools

An equity score of 30/100 ranks Ouachita School District #208 of 250 districts in Arkansas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $9,707 per pupil, Ouachita School District ranks #248 of 255 Arkansas districts by per-pupil spending (Arkansas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

550
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$9,707
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Ouachita School District operates 2 public schools serving 550 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Arkansas. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 combined 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 Hot Spring County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $9,707 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 26 of 255 Arkansas districts by per-pupil spending. See how Arkansas compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 23.4% local, 57.6% state, and 19.0% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 30/100, ranked #208 of 250 in Arkansas against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 2 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 200.8:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 16.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 94.5% White, 1.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% Asian across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Ouachita Elementary School, enrolling 280 students (54% of the district's total enrollment).

Ouachita Elementary School accounts for 50.9% of all Ouachita School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Ouachita School District a distant remainder — means Ouachita School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: elementary. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Ouachita School District student-counselor ratio is 201:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Ouachita School District chronic absenteeism rate is 16.9% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Ouachita School District is typically wider than the Ouachita School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

19.0%
Federal
57.6%
State
23.4%
Local

Funding Equity

30
Equity Score
208 / 250
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Ouachita School District.

White 94.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1.1%
Multiracial 3.1%
Other 0.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 2
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
200.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
16.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Ouachita School District

School Enrollment
Ouachita Elementary School
280
Ouachita High School
243

How Ouachita School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Arkansas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Hazen School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Hampton School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Mt. Vernon/Enola School Dist. Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
South Side School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Bay School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Ouachita 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 Ouachita School District →
Little Rock School District
21,456 students · 40 schools · $15,959/pupil
Compare vs Ouachita School District →
Bentonville School District
18,674 students · 24 schools · $12,377/pupil
Compare vs Ouachita School District →
Rogers School District
15,964 students · 23 schools · $11,519/pupil
Compare vs Ouachita School District →
Fort Smith School District
14,291 students · 27 schools · $12,459/pupil
Compare vs Ouachita 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 Ouachita 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 Ouachita School District?

Ouachita School District has 2 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 550 students.

How much does Ouachita School District spend per student?

Ouachita School District spends $9,707 per student. The district has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #208 in Arkansas.

What is the demographic composition of Ouachita School District?

Ouachita School District students are 94.5% White, 1.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Ouachita School District?

Ouachita School District has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #208 out of 250 districts in Arkansas.