Union County Schools & Education
Union County, Arkansas
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
33/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
90.3%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
90.3%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 90.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$5,923
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,160
School Score
33/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 38/100
State Score Position
#47
of 75 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Union County
Measured School Summary
Despite a lower school score of 33/100, Union County maintains a strong graduation rate of 90.3%, suggesting effective student support systems.
Funding Context
At $5,923 per pupil, Union County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 12% below the Arkansas average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 4% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Union 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
15 public schools and 6 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
33/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #47 of 75 Arkansas counties with school score data.
Completion
90.3%
matches the state average
Funding context
$5,923
$237 below the state average
School coverage
15
6 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
Union County has 15 public schools across 6 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.
What Union 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.
Review-carefully county
Union County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.
State position
#47
of 75 Arkansas counties with school score data. The county score is 5 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.
EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT
Elementary to high school visible
4,051 students
6 listed schools in this county slice.
SMACKOVER SCHOOL DISTRICT
Elementary to high school visible
1,161 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
PARKERS CHAPEL SCHOOL DIST.
Elementary and high visible
846 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
JUNCTION CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Elementary and high visible
702 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 6 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 Union County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Union 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 Union 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.
Diverse Districts Across the County
Union County is home to 15 public schools serving 7,076 students through six different school districts. The system includes 6 elementary, 3 middle, and 5 high schools, along with one specialized campus. This variety provides families with multiple district options depending on their specific location within the county.
El Dorado is the Hub of Union County
The El Dorado School District is the largest by far, with six schools and 4,051 students. Other significant districts include Smackover, with 1,161 students, and Junction City with 702. There are currently no charter schools in Union County, with the focus remaining on traditional district-led education.
Town Schools with a Modern High School Feel
With nine schools in town settings and six in rural areas, the average school size is 505 students. El Dorado High School is the largest campus in the county, educating 1,303 students in a comprehensive secondary environment. This mix allows families to choose between a more centralized town experience or a quieter rural setting.
School Overview
Total Schools
15
in Union County
Reported Enrollment
7,076
15 schools reporting
School Districts
6
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
6 School Districts in Union County
EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT
GuideSMACKOVER SCHOOL DISTRICT
PARKERS CHAPEL SCHOOL DIST.
JUNCTION CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
STRONG-HUTTIG SCHOOL DISTRICT
SOUTH ARK CAREER CENTER
15 Public Schools in Union County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 15 of 15 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EL DORADO HIGH SCHOOL | Profile | EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT | EL DORADO, 71730Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 1,303 |
| BARTON JR. HIGH SCHOOL | Record | EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT | EL DORADO, 71730Town: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 616 |
| YOCUM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT | EL DORADO, 71730Town: Remote | KG–4 | Primary | 596 |
| SMACKOVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | SMACKOVER SCHOOL DISTRICT | SMACKOVER, 71762Rural: Distant | PK–4 | Primary | 545 |
| WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL | Record | EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT | EL DORADO, 71730Town: Remote | 5–6 | Middle | 536 |
| HUGH GOODWIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT | EL DORADO, 71730Town: Remote | PK–4 | Primary | 525 |
| PARKERS CHAPEL ELEM. SCHOOL | Record | PARKERS CHAPEL SCHOOL DIST. | EL DORADO, 71730Town: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 487 |
| NORTHWEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT | EL DORADO, 71730Town: Remote | KG–4 | Primary | 475 |
| JUNCTION CITY ELEM. SCHOOL | Record | JUNCTION CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | JUNCTION CITY, 71749Rural: Distant | KG–6 | Primary | 384 |
| PARKERS CHAPEL HIGH SCHOOL | Record | PARKERS CHAPEL SCHOOL DIST. | EL DORADO, 71730Town: Remote | 7–12 | High | 359 |
| JUNCTION CITY HIGH SCHOOL | Record | JUNCTION CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | JUNCTION CITY, 71749Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 318 |
| NORPHLET MIDDLE SCHOOL | Record | SMACKOVER SCHOOL DISTRICT | NORPHLET, 71759Rural: Fringe | 5–8 | Middle | 317 |
| STRONG-HUTTIG SCHOOLS | Record | STRONG-HUTTIG SCHOOL DISTRICT | STRONG, 71765Rural: Remote | PK–12 | Other | 316 |
| SMACKOVER HIGH SCHOOL | Record | SMACKOVER SCHOOL DISTRICT | SMACKOVER, 71762Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 299 |
| SOUTH ARKANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TECHNICAL CENTER | Record | SOUTH ARK CAREER CENTER | EL DORADO, 71730Town: Remote | 9–12 | Vocational | 0 |
EL DORADO HIGH SCHOOL
EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT
EL DORADO, 71730 / Town: Remote
BARTON JR. HIGH SCHOOL
EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT
EL DORADO, 71730 / Town: Remote
YOCUM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT
EL DORADO, 71730 / Town: Remote
SMACKOVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
SMACKOVER SCHOOL DISTRICT
SMACKOVER, 71762 / Rural: Distant
WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT
EL DORADO, 71730 / Town: Remote
HUGH GOODWIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT
EL DORADO, 71730 / Town: Remote
PARKERS CHAPEL ELEM. SCHOOL
PARKERS CHAPEL SCHOOL DIST.
EL DORADO, 71730 / Town: Remote
NORTHWEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
EL DORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT
EL DORADO, 71730 / Town: Remote
JUNCTION CITY ELEM. SCHOOL
JUNCTION CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
JUNCTION CITY, 71749 / Rural: Distant
PARKERS CHAPEL HIGH SCHOOL
PARKERS CHAPEL SCHOOL DIST.
EL DORADO, 71730 / Town: Remote
JUNCTION CITY HIGH SCHOOL
JUNCTION CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
JUNCTION CITY, 71749 / Rural: Distant
NORPHLET MIDDLE SCHOOL
SMACKOVER SCHOOL DISTRICT
NORPHLET, 71759 / Rural: Fringe
STRONG-HUTTIG SCHOOLS
STRONG-HUTTIG SCHOOL DISTRICT
STRONG, 71765 / Rural: Remote
SMACKOVER HIGH SCHOOL
SMACKOVER SCHOOL DISTRICT
SMACKOVER, 71762 / Rural: Distant
SOUTH ARKANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TECHNICAL CENTER
SOUTH ARK CAREER CENTER
EL DORADO, 71730 / Town: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$5,923
State avg $6,160
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Union County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Arkansas counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Arkansas?
How should I read the school score in Union County?
What is the graduation rate in Union County?
How much does Union County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Union County, Arkansas — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Union County, Arkansas?
Union County is home to 15 public schools serving 7,076 students through six different school districts. The system includes 6 elementary, 3 middle, and 5 high schools, along with one specialized campus. This variety provides families with multiple district options depending on their specific location within the county.
What are the major school districts in Union County, Arkansas?
The El Dorado School District is the largest by far, with six schools and 4,051 students. Other significant districts include Smackover, with 1,161 students, and Junction City with 702. There are currently no charter schools in Union County, with the focus remaining on traditional district-led education.
What is the school experience like in Union County?
With nine schools in town settings and six in rural areas, the average school size is 505 students. El Dorado High School is the largest campus in the county, educating 1,303 students in a comprehensive secondary environment. This mix allows families to choose between a more centralized town experience or a quieter rural setting.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.