- Enrollment
- 1,220
- Students per teacher
- 10.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
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 →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+44 students YoY
Sidney Deener Elem. School grew from 385 students in 2022-23 to 429 in 2023-24 (+11.4%).
Teacher FTE added 21.3 → 22.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+44 students YoY 051221000988 · Searcy, AR Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
421 enr · 20:1 · 60.8% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: Searcy High School (1,220 students)
Sidney Deener Elem. School grew from 385 students in 2022-23 to 429 in 2023-24 (+11.4%). Teacher FTE added 21.3 → 22.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Arkansas schools → · Find another →
Sidney Deener Elem. School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Searcy High Sc
Searcy High School
1,220 students
- Southwest Midd
Southwest Middle School
913 students
- Ahlf Junior Hi
Ahlf Junior High School
576 students
- Mcrae Elementa 445
Mcrae Elementary School
445 students
- This school 421
Sidney Deener Elem. School
421 students
- Westside Eleme 398
Westside Elementary School
398 students
What this shows Sidney Deener Elem. School reports 421 students on the CCD universe file.
How Sidney Deener Elem. School compares
Sidney Deener Elem. School is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 methodology
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
$10,718
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arkansas avg of $12,818
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.
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
District finance for Searcy School District reports $10,718 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
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
- 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
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~421 students)
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. CCD year-over-year: 385 (2022-23) → 429 (2023-24), up 44.
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, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. 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.
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.