Southside 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.

Batesville, Arkansas - 4 schools

An equity score of 35/100 ranks Southside School District #191 of 250 districts in Arkansas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $9,405 per pupil, Southside School District ranks #245 of 255 Arkansas districts by per-pupil spending (Arkansas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,234
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$9,405
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Southside School District operates 4 public schools serving 2,234 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Arkansas. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary 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 Independence County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $9,405 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 16.2% local, 60.4% state, and 23.4% 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 35/100, ranked #191 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 2 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (14 AP courses district-wide), a 466.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 19.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 90.0% White, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Southside Charter High School, with a diversity index of 24.0/100.

Its largest campus is Southside Elementary School, enrolling 852 students (39% of the district's total enrollment).

Southside Elementary School accounts for 38.1% of all Southside School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Southside School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Southside School District student-counselor ratio is 467:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Southside School District chronic absenteeism rate is 19.3% — 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 Southside School District is typically wider than the Southside 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?

23.4%
Federal
60.4%
State
16.2%
Local

Funding Equity

35
Equity Score
191 / 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 4 schools in Southside School District.

White 90.0%
Hispanic or Latino 6.0%
African American 1.4%
Multiracial 1.7%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 18.5/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Southside Charter High School 24.0
  2. 2 Southside Junior High School 17.6
  3. 3 Southside Middle School 16.3
  4. 4 Southside Elementary School 16.2

Programs & Resources

2 / 4
Schools with AP
14 AP courses total
466.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
19.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Southside School District

School Enrollment
Southside Elementary School
852
Southside Charter High School
Charter
464
Southside Middle School
450
Southside Junior High School
Charter
427

How Southside School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Arkansas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Camden Fairview School Dist. Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Prairie Grove School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Hope School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Forrest City School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Dequeen School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Southside 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 Southside School District?

Southside School District has 4 schools, including 2 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,234 students.

How much does Southside School District spend per student?

Southside School District spends $9,405 per student. The district has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #191 in Arkansas.

What is the demographic composition of Southside School District?

Southside School District students are 90.0% White, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Southside School District?

Southside School District has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #191 out of 250 districts in Arkansas.