schoolsbycounty

St. Francis County Schools & Education

School Score

11/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

83.3%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

83.3%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 90.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$5,314

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,160

School Score

11/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 38/100

State Score Position

#73

of 75 counties by score

Education Data Brief: St. Francis County

Measured School Summary

St. Francis County faces educational challenges with a school score of 11/100 and a graduation rate of 83.3%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $5,314 per pupil, St. Francis County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 72% below the Arkansas average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 7.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 14% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read St. Francis County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

8 public schools and 3 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

11/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #73 of 75 Arkansas counties with school score data.

Completion

83.3%

7.0 pts below the state average

Funding context

$5,314

$846 below the state average

School coverage

8

3 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

St. Francis County has 8 public schools across 3 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What St. Francis County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Dominant-district county

FORREST CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT carries most of the listed public-school system, with 5 of 8 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#73

of 75 Arkansas counties with school score data. The county score is 27 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

FORREST CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

2,159 students

Elementary 2Middle 2High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

PALESTINE-WHEATLEY SCH. DIST.

Elementary and high visible

775 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

EAST ARKANSAS CAREER CENTER

High school only in this slice

0 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 1Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

FORREST CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 5 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in St. Francis County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different St. Francis County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in St. Francis County, Arkansas

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Town-Centered Schools for the Community

St. Francis County features eight public schools serving a total of 2,934 students within three districts. The system is comprised of three elementary, two middle, and three high schools. Most of these facilities are situated in town settings, serving as central hubs for local families.

Forrest City Dominates the Educational Map

The Forrest City School District is the largest provider in the county, managing five schools and 2,159 students. The Palestine-Wheatley School District serves an additional 775 students across two schools. There are currently no charter schools in operation within the county borders.

Town Locales and Moderate School Sizes

Six of the county's eight schools are located in town settings, providing an accessible educational experience for residents. The average school size is 419 students, though Central Elementary School stands out as the largest with 725 students. This creates a focused environment where the majority of campuses maintain a mid-sized feel.

School Overview

Total Schools

8

in St. Francis County

Reported Enrollment

2,934

8 schools reporting

School Districts

3

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary3
Middle2
High3
Other0

3 School Districts in St. Francis County

FORREST CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

5 schools
2,159 students

PALESTINE-WHEATLEY SCH. DIST.

2 schools
775 students

EAST ARKANSAS CAREER CENTER

1 school
0 students

8 Public Schools in St. Francis County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 8 of 8 matching schools

CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

FORREST CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

FORREST CITY, 72335 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–2Primary725 students

FORREST CITY HIGH SCHOOL

FORREST CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

FORREST CITY, 72335 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High580 students

STEWART ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

FORREST CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

FORREST CITY, 72335 / Town: Distant

Record3–5Primary440 students

PALESTINE-WHEATLEY ELEM. SCH.

PALESTINE-WHEATLEY SCH. DIST.

PALESTINE, 72372 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary426 students

PALESTINE-WHEATLEY SENIOR HIGH

PALESTINE-WHEATLEY SCH. DIST.

PALESTINE, 72372 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High349 students

FORREST CITY JR. HIGH

FORREST CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

FORREST CITY, 72335 / Town: Distant

Record7–8Middle275 students

LINCOLN ACADEMY

FORREST CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

FORREST CITY, 72335 / Town: Distant

Record6Middle139 students

EAST ARKANSAS SECONDARY CAREER CENTER

EAST ARKANSAS CAREER CENTER

FORREST CITY, 72335 / Town: Distant

Record9–12Vocational0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$5,314

State avg $6,160

Compare Nearby Counties

Review St. Francis County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Arkansas counties have the highest graduation rates?
Newton County (96.3%), Cleveland County (96.1%), and Conway County (95.8%) currently lead Arkansas among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Arkansas?
Across Arkansas counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $6,160. The highest current county values are Dallas County ($9,545), Stone County ($7,285), and Woodruff County ($7,079). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in St. Francis County?
St. Francis County has a school score of 11/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in St. Francis County?
The high school graduation rate in St. Francis County is 83.3%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does St. Francis County spend per student?
St. Francis County spends $5,314 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in St. Francis County, Arkansas — FAQ

What does the school system look like in St. Francis County, Arkansas?

St. Francis County features eight public schools serving a total of 2,934 students within three districts. The system is comprised of three elementary, two middle, and three high schools. Most of these facilities are situated in town settings, serving as central hubs for local families.

What are the major school districts in St. Francis County, Arkansas?

The Forrest City School District is the largest provider in the county, managing five schools and 2,159 students. The Palestine-Wheatley School District serves an additional 775 students across two schools. There are currently no charter schools in operation within the county borders.

What is the school experience like in St. Francis County?

Six of the county's eight schools are located in town settings, providing an accessible educational experience for residents. The average school size is 419 students, though Central Elementary School stands out as the largest with 725 students. This creates a focused environment where the majority of campuses maintain a mid-sized feel.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.