The top reported proficiency rate is 62% in Science. The lowest is 52% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Caldwell Elementary School
Caldwell Elementary School serves kindergarten through fourth grade in the Benton School District, a public school system that sits within the larger suburban fabric of Saline County. The school occupies the western side of Benton, a steadily growing city that functions as a residential suburb of Little Rock and as the county seat. Families moving to this part of Benton will find a mix of older neighborhoods and newer subdivisions, with the downtown core a short drive away around the Saline County Courthouse and the historic Royal Theatre. The housing market in the school’s ZIP code shows home values near the middle of the national range, and rents follow a similar pattern; the area carries a relatively manageable cost of living for a metro-adjacent suburb. The district itself has invested heavily in facilities, with large capital outlay and construction spending in recent years, a signal that the physical school environment is receiving attention.
Caldwell is the only elementary in the district that serves kindergarten through fourth grade; other elementary schools in Benton cover different grade spans, so attendance boundaries matter here. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Black and Hispanic students, and a very small number of students identifying as two or more races or American Indian. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that falls below the state average for elementary schools. The school is not a charter or magnet, and data on English learner and special education populations was not available; a parent who needs those programs should confirm directly with the school what supports are in place.
State testing results from the Arkansas ATLAS assessment place Caldwell’s academic performance at a level that stands out relative to other districts in Saline County. When overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades is measured, the school lands in the top quartile compared to its county peers. That is a clear strength. In third grade, a majority of students met proficiency in English language arts, and a solid share did so in math; the fourth-grade results were slightly lower in both subjects but still comfortably above the county median. Science scores were the strongest subject, with roughly two-thirds of fourth graders and a similar share of third graders reaching proficiency. For a primary school, these results suggest a consistent instructional program that is producing better-than-average outcomes for the area.
The grade band means there is no graduation rate, no college-going data, and no advanced course access to report. That is simply a function of the school serving only the early elementary years. The comparison tools confirm that proficiency index is the only relevant metric for this grade span, and on that measure Caldwell sits clearly above the other schools in its county cohort.
The district’s capital spending is the one parent-relevant change surfaced in recent public records. The Benton School District spent heavily on construction in the most recent fiscal year with available data, part of a larger capital outlay. That kind of investment typically shows up in renovated or new buildings, updated classrooms, or expanded capacity. For a family considering Caldwell, it is reasonable to expect that the district’s facility commitments are ongoing, though the specific projects affecting this campus are not detailed in the available information.
Caldwell Elementary is a strong academic option for the early grades within a growing suburban school district. The testing profile is favorable for the county, the district is investing in its physical plant, and the student body is economically less disadvantaged than many Arkansas elementary schools. The main unknowns for a prospective parent are the specifics of English learner and special education services, and the exact attendance boundaries that determine eligibility. Those are best answered by the school office or the district’s enrollment page. For a family seeking a high-performing primary school in the Little Rock suburbs, this one warrants serious consideration.
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