Enrollment
421
Arkansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Searcy, AR
Sidney Deener Elem. School
Federal NCES profile for Sidney Deener Elem. School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 051221000988
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 16
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sidney Deener Elem. School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Arkansas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arkansas schools.
- #4 of 4
- elementary schools in Searcy · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20:1
- large classes for Arkansas
- 60.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Sidney Deener Elem. School has class sizes larger than 96% of Arkansas schools. Computed live against every Arkansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sidney Deener Elem. School ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Searcy, AR.
School address
District: Searcy School District · Arkansas
NCES ID 051221000988 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20:1
vs 13.6:1 Arkansas avg
+47% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.8%
vs 59.2% Arkansas avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sidney Deener Elem. School compares with Arkansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sidney Deener Elem. School
Sidney Deener Elem. School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Searcy, Arkansas, enrolling 421 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20:1 is larger than about 96% of Arkansas schools and 47% 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 60.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 421 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arkansas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,066 scored Arkansas schools.
Among 198 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arkansas schools statewide, it ranks #160, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and African American (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 421 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Searcy School District also operates Searcy High School (1,220 students) and Southwest Middle School (913 students) alongside Sidney Deener Elem. 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 Sidney Deener Elem. School compares
Sidney Deener Elem. 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 | 20:1 | ▲ 47% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.8% | ▲ 3% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 421 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
421
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
20:1
students per teacher
- 47% above state mean
Top 96% in Arkansas - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
26.4%
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
$10,738
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 421 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.4 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 51.5%
African American 20.4%
Two or More 13.3%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%
Asian 2.4%
Largest group: White at 51.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.0, Sidney Deener Elem. School is more mixed than the Arkansas school average of 40.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Searcy School District, which includes Sidney Deener Elem. School.
$10,738
Per student
-12%
vs Arkansas
Avg $12,251
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.4%
State 35.7%
Federal 21.9%
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 Sidney Deener Elem. School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Searcy High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southwest Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ahlf Junior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mcrae Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Westside Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sidney Deener Elem. School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,220
- Students per teacher
- 10.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 913
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 576
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 445
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 398
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar elementary 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 (~421 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sidney Deener Elem. School's federal record.
- Compare Sidney Deener Elem. School against another school. Compare schools
- Searcy 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 Sidney Deener Elem. School
How many students attend Sidney Deener Elem. School?
Sidney Deener Elem. School has 421 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Searcy, AR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sidney Deener Elem. School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sidney Deener Elem. School is 20:1, which is 47% higher than the Arkansas average of 13.6:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sidney Deener Elem. School?
60.8% of students at Sidney Deener Elem. School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arkansas average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sidney Deener Elem. School?
The largest demographic group at Sidney Deener Elem. School is White at 51.5% of enrollment, in Searcy, AR. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sidney Deener Elem. School?
Sidney Deener Elem. School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical 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 Sidney Deener Elem. School rank among elementary schools in Searcy?
By Resource Investment Index, Sidney Deener Elem. School ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Searcy, AR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Searcy on the city page.
Is Sidney Deener Elem. School a good school?
Sidney Deener Elem. School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% 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 Searcy School District?
Besides Sidney Deener Elem. School, Searcy School District also operates Searcy High School (1,220 students), Southwest Middle School (913 students), and Ahlf Junior High School (576 students). See the Searcy 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.