Searcy 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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Searcy, Arkansas - 6 schools

An equity score of 19/100 ranks Searcy School District #236 of 250 districts in Arkansas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,738 per pupil, Searcy School District ranks #194 of 255 Arkansas districts by per-pupil spending (Arkansas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

4,003
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$10,738
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Searcy School District operates 6 public schools serving 4,003 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Arkansas. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 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 White County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,738 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 42.4% local, 35.7% state, and 21.9% 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 19/100, ranked #236 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 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 346.2:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 24.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 67.7% White, 10.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Sidney Deener Elem. School, with a diversity index of 66.0/100.

Its largest campus is Searcy High School, enrolling 1,220 students (31% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Westside Elementary School, at 398 students, a 3x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Searcy High School accounts for 30.5% of all Searcy School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Searcy School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Searcy School District school enrollment varies 3.1× across entities

Searcy School District school enrollment ranges from 398 students (lowest) to 1,220 students (highest), a spread of 822 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Searcy School District student-counselor ratio is 346:1 — 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 Searcy School District is typically wider than the Searcy School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Searcy School District chronic absenteeism rate is 24.4% — 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 Searcy School District is typically wider than the Searcy School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

21.9%
Federal
35.7%
State
42.4%
Local

Funding Equity

19
Equity Score
236 / 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 6 schools in Searcy School District.

White 67.7%
Hispanic or Latino 10.7%
African American 10.5%
Asian 1.6%
Multiracial 9.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 50.1/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Sidney Deener Elem. School 66.0
  2. 2 Southwest Middle School 51.4
  3. 3 Ahlf Junior High School 49.4
  4. 4 Searcy High School 49.1
  5. 5 Mcrae Elementary School 44.8

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
6 AP courses total
346.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
24.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Searcy School District

School Enrollment
Searcy High School
1,220
Southwest Middle School
913
Ahlf Junior High School
576
Mcrae Elementary School
445
Sidney Deener Elem. School
421
Westside Elementary School
398

How Searcy School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Arkansas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Greenwood School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
El Dorado School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Mountain Home School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Marion School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Texarkana School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Searcy 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 · $11,376/pupil
Compare vs Searcy School District →
Little Rock School District
21,456 students · 40 schools · $14,597/pupil
Compare vs Searcy School District →
Bentonville School District
18,674 students · 24 schools · $11,698/pupil
Compare vs Searcy School District →
Rogers School District
15,964 students · 23 schools · $10,977/pupil
Compare vs Searcy School District →
Fort Smith School District
14,291 students · 27 schools · $12,206/pupil
Compare vs Searcy School District →

Compare Searcy 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 Searcy School District?

Searcy School District has 6 schools, including 1 high, 4 elementary, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 4,003 students.

How much does Searcy School District spend per student?

Searcy School District spends $10,738 per student. The district has an equity score of 19/100, ranking #236 in Arkansas.

What is the demographic composition of Searcy School District?

Searcy School District students are 67.7% White, 10.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% African American, 1.6% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Searcy School District?

Searcy School District has an equity score of 19/100, ranking #236 out of 250 districts in Arkansas.