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West Memphis, Arkansas - 10 schools
An equity score of 62/100 ranks West Memphis School District #77 of 250 districts in Arkansas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $11,814 per pupil, West Memphis School District ranks #128 of 255 Arkansas districts by per-pupil spending (Arkansas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
4,954
Total Enrollment
10
Schools
$11,814
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
West Memphis School District operates 10 public schools serving 4,954 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Arkansas. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 combined, 4 elementary, 1 high schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Crittenden County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,814 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 17.5% local, 55.9% state, and 26.6% 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 62/100, ranked #77 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.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 10 schools offering Advanced Placement (9 AP courses district-wide), a 368.4:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 40.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 81.1% African American, 15.1% White, 2.0% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Bragg Elementary School, with a diversity index of 52.5/100.
The Academies of West Memphis Charter School accounts for 18.1% of all West Memphis School District student enrollment
That concentration means West Memphis 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.
West Memphis School District school enrollment varies 3.9× across entities
West Memphis School District school enrollment ranges from 228 students (lowest) to 897 students (highest), a spread of 669 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.
West Memphis School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 99.8% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is a supermajority of the population — well past the 75% concentration-grant threshold that unlocks extra funding on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
West Memphis School District student-counselor ratio is 368:1 — 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.
West Memphis School District chronic absenteeism rate is 40.3% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
How many schools are in West Memphis School District?
West Memphis School District has 10 schools, including 1 high, 5 combined, 4 elementary. Total enrollment is 4,954 students.
How much does West Memphis School District spend per student?
West Memphis School District spends $11,814 per student. The district has an equity score of 62/100, ranking #77 in Arkansas.
What is the demographic composition of West Memphis School District?
West Memphis School District students are 81.1% African American, 15.1% White, 2.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 10 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for West Memphis School District?
West Memphis School District has an equity score of 62/100, ranking #77 out of 250 districts in Arkansas.