Enrollment
468
Arkansas · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Van Buren, AR
Van Buren Freshman Academy
Federal NCES profile for Van Buren Freshman Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 051341001631
👥 S:T ratio 43
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 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
Van Buren Freshman Academy earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arkansas median.
- #8 of 10
- public schools in Van Buren · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.2:1
- students per teacher
- 41.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Van Buren Freshman Academy has class sizes near the Arkansas median. Computed live against every Arkansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Van Buren Freshman Academy ranks #8 of 10 public schools in Van Buren, AR.
School address
District: Van Buren School District · Arkansas
NCES ID 051341001631 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 13.6:1 Arkansas avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.8%
vs 59.2% Arkansas avg
-29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Van Buren Freshman Academy compares with Arkansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Van Buren Freshman Academy
Van Buren Freshman Academy is a mid-sized high school in Van Buren, Arkansas, enrolling 468 students.
At 14.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Arkansas median, within a few percentage points of the 13.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 41.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 468 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arkansas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 1,066 Arkansas schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 297 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arkansas schools statewide, it ranks #284, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 56/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 571 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 57.3% 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.
Discipline events run high: 197 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 468 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Van Buren School District also operates Van Buren High School (1,232 students) and Northridge Middle School (713 students) alongside Van Buren Freshman Academy.
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 Van Buren Freshman Academy compares
Van Buren Freshman Academy on the metrics families compare, against Arkansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arkansas | Arkansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.2:1 | ▲ 4% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.8% | ▼ 29% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 468 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
468
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% 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
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 54% in Arkansas - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
57.3%
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
Counselors0.8 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
117
in-school suspensions + 80 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 25.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 42.1 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 61.8%
Hispanic or Latino 20.1%
Two or More 11.3%
Asian 2.6%
African American 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 61.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.3, Van Buren Freshman Academy is more mixed than the Arkansas school average of 40.4.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Van Buren School District, which includes Van Buren Freshman Academy.
$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 Van Buren Freshman Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northridge Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Butterfield Junior High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| J. J. Izard Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| James R. Tate Elem. School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Van Buren Freshman Academy'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
- 466
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 459
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar high 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 (~468 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Van Buren Freshman Academy's federal record.
- Compare Van Buren Freshman Academy 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 Van Buren Freshman Academy
How many students attend Van Buren Freshman Academy?
Van Buren Freshman Academy has 468 students enrolled. It is a high school in Van Buren, AR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Van Buren Freshman Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Van Buren Freshman Academy is 14.2:1, which is 4% higher than the Arkansas average of 13.6:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Van Buren Freshman Academy?
41.8% of students at Van Buren Freshman Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arkansas average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Van Buren Freshman Academy?
The largest demographic group at Van Buren Freshman Academy is White at 61.8% of enrollment, in Van Buren, AR. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Van Buren Freshman Academy?
Van Buren Freshman Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Van Buren Freshman Academy rank among public schools in Van Buren?
By Resource Investment Index, Van Buren Freshman Academy ranks #8 of 10 public 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 public schools in Van Buren on the city page.
Is Van Buren Freshman Academy a good school?
Van Buren Freshman Academy earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arkansas median. 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 Van Buren Freshman Academy, 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.