The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in Math. The lowest is 48% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Perrin Elementary School
Perrin Elementary School serves students from kindergarten through fourth grade in the Benton School District, a suburban district in Saline County just southwest of Little Rock. The school is located in Benton, a county seat that has grown steadily as part of the Little Rock metropolitan area. The city combines a historic downtown centered on the Saline County Courthouse with low-density residential subdivisions and commercial corridors, and many families commute into the broader metro area for work. The district has invested substantially in facility construction, a publicly reported capital outlay that points to ongoing physical improvements shaping the school environment.
Perrin Elementary enrolls a student body that is predominantly white, with a smaller but noticeable share of Black and Hispanic students, and a modest proportion of students who identify as two or more races. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate consistent with a school serving a mixed-income suburban community. The school does not report counts for students with disabilities or English learners in the available data, so families with children in these categories would want to confirm directly with the school what supports are in place.
State test results from Arkansas’s ATLAS assessment were available for the most recent school year. In third grade, a clear majority of students scored at the proficient level or above in math. In fourth grade, the proficiency rate in math was a solid majority as well, though slightly lower than the third-grade result. Reading and English language arts results were more mixed. Third-grade proficiency in that subject fell below the majority mark, meaning a sizable portion of students were still developing grade-level reading skills. By fourth grade, the proficiency rate in English language arts crossed above the halfway point, a visible improvement from the prior grade. Science results were near the middle for both grades, with just under half of students scoring proficient or above.
When compared to other elementary schools in Saline County districts, Perrin placed in the top quartile for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. That is a strong relative showing, and it suggests that on the whole the school’s academic performance is ahead of the median among its county peers. Because the school only serves grades K through 4, it does not have a graduation rate, chronic absenteeism data, or course access measures that apply to high schools. Families accustomed to seeing those metrics will find them absent simply because of the grade band.
The school’s setting is suburban and auto-oriented, consistent with the broader Benton area. Walkability is limited outside the historic downtown core, so most families drive their children to school or use district-provided transportation. The school itself sits on a separated campus, as is typical for elementary schools in the district, rather than being clustered in a downtown location.
For parents or residents evaluating Perrin Elementary, the picture is of a school with a solid academic profile in math and a more uneven record in reading and early literacy, where some students may need additional support to reach grade-level expectations. The school’s relative standing in its county suggests it is competitive among local elementary options. The district’s facility investments may mean newer or improved spaces in the near term, which is worth noting for families considering long-term residence. The student body is economically diverse on a modest scale, and the racial makeup reflects the surrounding community’s demographics. A parent of a child who is an English learner or who receives special education services should inquire about specific programming, as the available data does not speak to those offerings.
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