Concord Elementary School, Concord AR

Original Research by School Decision on Concord Elementary School

Concord Elementary School serves kindergarten through sixth grade in the Concord School District, a small rural system in the northeastern corner of Cleburne County, Arkansas. The school sits within the town of Concord, a very small community that has historically depended on poultry farming and a handful of local enterprises such as a box factory and pallet mill. Over the past several decades the town’s population has declined noticeably, and the built environment remains low-density: a highway corridor, scattered residences, and the school campus itself. There is no walkable downtown, no public library, and no public transit. The school is one of the few institutional employers in the area, and it has traditionally functioned as a community gathering place.

The student body is extremely homogeneous by race, with nearly all students identifying as white. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need. Enrollment is comparatively small for a school spanning kindergarten through sixth grade; the numbers are relatively balanced across grade levels. Class sizes are likely quite modest, which can allow for closer teacher-student relationships, though the school’s ability to offer specialized programs or support staff may be constrained by its size and rural location.

State testing results from the most recent year show overall proficiency rates in math, English language arts, and science that fall well below state averages. The pattern varies somewhat by grade and subject: by the time students reach sixth grade, the share scoring proficient or above in math and English language arts rises from the earlier elementary grades, but remains at a level that suggests a significant number of students are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks. When compared to other school districts across Cleburne County, Concord Elementary’s combined proficiency across all tested subjects and grades lands in the bottom quarter of the county. This is a meaningful signal for parents considering academic preparation: the school faces a clear challenge in moving enough students to grade-level performance outcomes.

No data on chronic absenteeism or student discipline was available in the record for this school, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about attendance patterns and the learning environment. The district itself appears to have seen no major recent changes such as a bond referendum, curriculum overhaul, or property-tax measure with lasting impact on families.

Concord Elementary is a school where the community is tight-knit and the setting is undeniably rural. A parent who values a small, familiar environment and is comfortable with a modest academic-performance profile may find it a reasonable fit. A parent who prioritizes high state-test outcomes or access to a wide range of enrichment programs would likely want to investigate further, including speaking with the principal about what remedial and instructional supports are in place and what the district’s long-term academic goals are. The data does not show any alternative or special-purpose designation that would explain the lower results; the school is a traditional elementary serving its neighborhood.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 318%

School 18% · District 18%

▼ 19 pts below state median

Grade 414%

School 14% · District 14%

▼ 25 pts below state median

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 27%

▼ 5 pts below state median

Grade 650%

School 50% · District 50%

▲ 13 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 323%

School 23% · District 23%

▼ 10 pts below state median

Grade 425%

School 25% · District 25%

▼ 11 pts below state median

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 42%

▲ 9 pts above state median

Grade 645%

School 45% · District 45%

▲ 13 pts above state median

Science

Grade 336%

School 36% · District 36%

even with state median

Grade 425%

School 25% · District 25%

▼ 11 pts below state median

Grade 524%

School 24% · District 24%

▼ 9 pts below state median

Grade 641%

School 41% · District 41%

▲ 8 pts above state median

This schoolCONCORD SCHOOL DISTRICT, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income20%Higher-income25%5 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income47%Higher-income36%10 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income19%Higher-income17%2 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income27%Higher-income42%15 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income40%Higher-income46%6 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income50%Higher-income42%8 pp gap