Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist.

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.

Palestine, Arkansas - 2 schools

An equity score of 66/100 ranks Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. #69 of 250 districts in Arkansas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,311 per pupil, Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. ranks #133 of 255 Arkansas districts by per-pupil spending (Arkansas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

775
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$12,311
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. operates 2 public schools serving 775 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Arkansas. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 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 St. Francis County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,311 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 255 Arkansas districts by per-pupil spending. See how Arkansas compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 19.9% local, 65.7% state, and 14.3% 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 66/100, ranked #69 of 250 in Arkansas against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 318.5:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 26.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 84.7% White, 10.3% African American, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Palestine-Wheatley Elem. Sch., enrolling 448 students (54% of the district's total enrollment).

Palestine-Wheatley Elem. Sch. accounts for 54.2% of all Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. a distant remainder — means Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist.-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. 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

Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. reports 99.2% 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

Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. student-counselor ratio is 319:1 — 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 Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. is typically wider than the Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist.-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. chronic absenteeism rate is 26.9% — 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 Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. is typically wider than the Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist.-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

14.3%
Federal
65.7%
State
19.9%
Local

Funding Equity

66
Equity Score
69 / 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 2 schools in Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist..

White 84.7%
Hispanic or Latino 2.9%
African American 10.3%
Asian 1.2%
Multiracial 0.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

318.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
26.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist.

School Enrollment
Palestine-Wheatley Elem. Sch.
448
Palestine-Wheatley Senior High
378

How Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Arkansas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Mansfield School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Riverside School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Two Rivers School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Greenland School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Danville School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

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 Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist.

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 Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist.?

Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 775 students.

How much does Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. spend per student?

Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. spends $12,311 per student. The district has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #69 in Arkansas.

What is the demographic composition of Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist.?

Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. students are 84.7% White, 10.3% African American, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist.?

Palestine-Wheatley Sch. Dist. has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #69 out of 250 districts in Arkansas.