Van Buren School District, AR

Original Research by School Decision on Van Buren School District

Van Buren School District serves a community in western Arkansas, covering a stretch of Crawford County that includes the city of Van Buren and the smaller towns of Alma and Rudy. The district operates just over a dozen schools, including elementary campuses, two middle schools, a high school, a freshman academy, and a virtual academy. It is a full PK-12 system with a substantial enrollment, and the student body reflects a mix of backgrounds. The largest group of students is white, followed by a sizable Hispanic population, and smaller shares of students who identify as two or more races, Black, Asian, American Indian, or Pacific Islander. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals is not available, so a parent would want to ask the district directly about economic need. Information on students with disabilities and English learners is also absent from the provided records.

Academically, the district posts proficiency rates on the Arkansas ATLAS assessments that, taken together, place it in the top quartile among Crawford County’s four districts. That is a relative bright spot. But the actual classroom results are mixed. In math, proficiency across grades 3 through 8 ranges from a low in eighth grade to a high in sixth grade. Most elementary and middle school math scores fall below the halfway mark, meaning a sizable portion of students are not yet meeting the state’s proficient threshold. English language arts follows a similar pattern, with sixth grade again the strongest and fifth grade the weakest. Science scores are also clustered in a comparable band. The district’s strongest showing relative to its own grade levels comes in sixth grade across all three subjects, while eighth grade math stands out as the softest spot. A parent considering this district would want to ask school leaders about efforts to lift achievement in the later middle school years.

The district’s per-pupil spending sits in the middle range among county peers, on the lower side of that middle group. Chronic absenteeism is a concern, with a rate that falls below the midpoint among the four districts, meaning it is somewhat higher than average. A parent may want to look into this further with the school system to understand what drives those absences. Graduation rate data is not available in the provided records, so it is not possible to assess high school completion from this source.

Housing in the district’s coverage area shows moderate home values compared to national benchmarks, with the most expensive properties in Rudy, followed by Alma, and Van Buren at the lower end. Rents in the city of Van Buren are modest. The national mortgage rate environment and unemployment rate in mid-2026 are consistent with broader economic conditions. For a family moving into the area, the district sits in a region where home prices have been rising at a pace similar to the state average.

No recent curriculum changes, millage votes, or facility plans were found in the web research provided, so those topics are left unaddressed. The district does offer some program variety through its virtual academy, which may appeal to families seeking an alternative to traditional in-person schooling. A parent exploring Van Buren will find a district that performs ahead of its immediate county peers on proficiency but still has wide variation by grade and subject, and a student body that is majority white with a meaningful Hispanic presence. The missing pieces on poverty, special education, and graduation rates are gaps worth filling with a direct call to the district office.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

5,809

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 21%

Black 2%

White 64%

Asian 2%

Two+ 9%

Am. Indian / AK Native 1%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

Schools in this District

11 schools are officially reported under this district.

RENA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

NORTHRIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL

CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

KING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

BUTTERFIELD TRAIL MIDDLE SCHOO

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

JAMES R. TATE ELEM. SCHOOL

PARKVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

VAN BUREN FRESHMAN ACADEMY

RIVER VALLEY VIRTUAL ACADEMY

OLIVER SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

43%

Grade 3

45%

Grade 4

42%

Grade 5

50%

Grade 6

43%

Grade 7

24%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

36%

Grade 3

37%

Grade 4

32%

Grade 5

42%

Grade 6

35%

Grade 7

33%

Grade 8

Science

6 grades reported

38%

Grade 3

37%

Grade 4

33%

Grade 5

41%

Grade 6

36%

Grade 7

36%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$223,240

Year-over-year change+7.0%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$210K to $265K

vs. state typical1.00x

vs. national typical0.61x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
72956	Van Buren	$210K	+6.9%	69.1%
72921	Alma	$251K	+6.8%	26.5%
72952	Rudy	$265K	+9.2%	4.4%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,023/mo

Year-over-year change+5.1%

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
72956	Van Buren	$1,023	+5.1%	69.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,126/mo

Home price / national median income2.7x

Annual rent / national median income14.7%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$104/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.