Enrollment
762
Arkansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · West Memphis, AR
Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School
Federal NCES profile for Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 050939001668
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Arkansas schools.
- #6 of 6
- schools in West Memphis · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.1:1
- large classes for Arkansas
- 76.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School has class sizes larger than 87% of Arkansas schools. Computed live against every Arkansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School ranks #6 of 6 schools in West Memphis, AR.
School address
District: Marion School District · Arkansas
NCES ID 050939001668 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 13.6:1 Arkansas avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.1%
vs 59.2% Arkansas avg
+29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School compares with Arkansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School
Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School is a high-poverty, large combined-grade school in West Memphis, Arkansas, enrolling 762 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.1:1 is larger than about 87% of Arkansas schools and 33% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 76.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arkansas, bigger than 91% of state schools at 762 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 1,066 Arkansas schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 35 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arkansas schools statewide, it ranks #32, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (74%) and White (14%) (diversity index 43/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 762 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 251 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 762 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Marion School District also operates Marion High School (927 students) and Herbert Carter Global Community Magnet School (670 students) alongside Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet 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 Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School compares
Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet 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 | 18.1:1 | ▲ 33% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.1% | ▲ 29% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 762 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
762
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% above the Arkansas average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 87% in Arkansas - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
43.0%
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
$12,008
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 762 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
145
in-school suspensions + 106 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 19.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 32.9 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
African American 73.8%
White 14.2%
Two or More 6.6%
Hispanic or Latino 5.1%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 73.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.8, Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School is more mixed than the Arkansas school average of 40.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Marion School District, which includes Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School.
$12,008
Per student
-2%
vs Arkansas
Avg $12,251
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.0%
State 46.1%
Federal 14.9%
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 Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Herbert Carter Global Community Magnet School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Marion Math Science & Technology Magnet School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Marion Junior High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 927
- Students per teacher
- 10.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 670
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 654
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 7.4:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
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 (~762 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School's federal record.
- Compare Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School against another school. Compare schools
- Marion 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 Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School
How many students attend Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School?
Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School has 762 students enrolled. It is a public school in West Memphis, AR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School?
The student-teacher ratio at Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School is 18.1:1, which is 33% higher than the Arkansas average of 13.6:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School?
76.1% of students at Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arkansas average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School?
The largest demographic group at Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School is African American at 73.8% of enrollment, in West Memphis, AR.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School?
Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (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 Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School rank among schools in West Memphis?
By Resource Investment Index, Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School ranks #6 of 6 schools in West Memphis, AR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in West Memphis on the city page.
Is Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School a good school?
Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of 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 Marion School District?
Besides Marion Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School, Marion School District also operates Marion High School (927 students), Herbert Carter Global Community Magnet School (670 students), and Marion Math Science & Technology Magnet School (654 students). See the Marion 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.