Enrollment
437
Arkansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Van Buren, AR
King Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for King Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 051341001099
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 4
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
King Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Arkansas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arkansas schools.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Van Buren · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.2:1
- large classes for Arkansas
- 59.1%
- free-lunch eligible
King Elementary School has class sizes larger than 73% of Arkansas schools. Computed live against every Arkansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, King Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Van Buren, AR.
School address
District: Van Buren School District · Arkansas
NCES ID 051341001099 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 13.6:1 Arkansas avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.1%
vs 59.2% Arkansas avg
-0% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How King Elementary School compares with Arkansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at King Elementary School
King Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Van Buren, Arkansas, enrolling 437 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Arkansas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 59.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 437 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arkansas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 1,066 Arkansas schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 221 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arkansas schools statewide, it ranks #203, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (41%) and Hispanic or Latino (39%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 437 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Van Buren School District also operates Van Buren High School (1,232 students) and Northridge Middle School (713 students) alongside King Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How King Elementary School compares
King Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Arkansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arkansas | Arkansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.2:1 | ▲ 19% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.1% | ▼ 0% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 437 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
437
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% below the Arkansas average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 73% in Arkansas - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
38.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,226
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arkansas avg of $12,251
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 437 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
20
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 41.0%
Hispanic or Latino 38.7%
Two or More 15.6%
African American 3.0%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 41.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.7, King Elementary School is more mixed than the Arkansas school average of 40.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Van Buren School District, which includes King Elementary School.
$11,226
Per student
-8%
vs Arkansas
Avg $12,251
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 49.4%
Federal 21.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How King Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northridge Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Butterfield Junior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Van Buren Freshman Academy | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| J. J. Izard Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to King Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,232
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 713
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 557
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 468
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 466
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arkansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~437 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on King Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare King Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Van Buren School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about King Elementary School
How many students attend King Elementary School?
King Elementary School has 437 students enrolled. It is a public school in Van Buren, AR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at King Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at King Elementary School is 16.2:1, which is 19% higher than the Arkansas average of 13.6:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at King Elementary School?
59.1% of students at King Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arkansas average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of King Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at King Elementary School is White at 41.0% of enrollment, in Van Buren, AR. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for King Elementary School?
King Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does King Elementary School rank among schools in Van Buren?
By Resource Investment Index, King Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Van Buren, AR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Van Buren on the city page.
Is King Elementary School a good school?
King Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Arkansas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arkansas schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Van Buren School District?
Besides King Elementary School, Van Buren School District also operates Van Buren High School (1,232 students), Northridge Middle School (713 students), and Butterfield Junior High School (557 students). See the Van Buren School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.