Cedar Ridge School District, AR

Original Research by School Decision on Cedar Ridge School District

The Cedar Ridge School District serves a rural expanse of Independence County in north-central Arkansas, covering communities including Newark, Bradford, Sulphur Rock, and parts of Batesville and Cave City. The district is small, with a single elementary school and a single high school serving kindergarten through twelfth grade. Its student body is overwhelmingly white, with modest numbers of Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. Data on economic disadvantage, special education, and English learner enrollment was not reported, so a parent seeking that information would need to ask the district directly.

State assessment results are available for grades three through eight across math, English language arts, and science. Performance varies by grade and subject. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above ranges from roughly a third in fourth grade to above half in eighth grade, with most grades falling in the mid to upper thirties or low forties. English language arts proficiency sits in a similar band, with the lowest point in seventh grade near thirty percent and the highest in sixth grade just under half. Science results show a wide spread: fifth grade reaches about half proficient, while fourth grade and third grade are closer to a third. No high school testing data was included in the available records, so the district’s academic picture is limited to the elementary and middle grades. A parent of an older student would want to look into high school course offerings and outcomes, including graduation rate, which was also not reported.

Compared to other districts within Independence County, Cedar Ridge’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the top tier. Its chronic absenteeism rate is relatively low, a positive signal for consistent attendance. Per-pupil current spending exceeds the county median, suggesting the district invests above average in its operations. The district brief turned up no recent changes or initiatives of lasting note; the public record shows basic demographic and financial data but no strategic priorities or program expansions to report.

Housing in the district’s coverage area is affordable by national standards. Home values vary by zip code, with the lowest in the Batesville area and the highest near Sulphur Rock. The weighted district average is well below the national median. Rents are modest and limited in availability; only the Batesville portion of the district has reported rental data. The typical mortgage payment on a median-priced home is lower than the national median rent, which may make homeownership attractive to families considering a move. The county unemployment rate is slightly above the national figure but not dramatically so.

The district offers no publicly available information about advanced coursework, career and technical education, or dual-enrollment pathways, and no data on discipline, staffing ratios, or class sizes. These gaps mean a family cannot fully assess the academic range or support environment from this record alone.

Cedar Ridge is a small, predominantly white district in a rural setting where home prices are manageable and per-pupil spending is a relative strength. Its elementary and middle school test results are competitive within the county, though there are soft spots in upper-elementary and middle-grade literacy. The absence of high school outcome data and program details leaves a central question unanswered for parents of older students; a direct conversation with the school would be the next step. For a family seeking a low-cost housing market and a close-knit school community in north-central Arkansas, Cedar Ridge is worth a closer look, especially if the district’s academic record at the elementary level aligns with their priorities.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

638

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 4%

Black 2%

White 91%

Asian 0%

Two+ 2%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Schools in this District

2 schools are officially reported under this district.

CEDAR RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

CEDAR RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

42%

Grade 3

33%

Grade 4

40%

Grade 5

43%

Grade 6

49%

Grade 7

55%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

33%

Grade 3

45%

Grade 4

43%

Grade 5

47%

Grade 6

30%

Grade 7

43%

Grade 8

Science

6 grades reported

33%

Grade 3

31%

Grade 4

51%

Grade 5

38%

Grade 6

35%

Grade 7

43%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$154,472

Year-over-year change+3.3%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$95K to $194K

vs. state typical0.69x

vs. national typical0.42x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
72562	Newark	$145K	+3.1%	29.4%
72501	Batesville	$175K	+5.7%	10.1%
72020	Bradford	$140K	+1.7%	9.4%
72579	Sulphur Rock	$194K	+6.8%	9.4%
72112		$95K	-8.7%	2.9%
72521	Cave City	$168K	+1.4%	1.4%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$898/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
72501	Batesville	$898	—	10.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$779/mo

Home price / national median income1.8x

Annual rent / national median income12.9%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$119/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$222,300 (+3.0% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.