The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in English language arts. The lowest is 22% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Marguerite Vann Elem. School
Marguerite Vann Elementary School serves kindergarten through fourth grade as part of the Conway School District in Faulkner County, Arkansas. It is a neighborhood elementary school located on the southern side of Conway, a mid-sized city that functions as the county seat and a regional hub for central Arkansas. For a family considering an elementary placement within the district, the school’s academic profile, student composition, and the broader community context all bear on that decision.
State test results from the most recent school year show that proficiency rates across math, English language arts, and science for grades three and four are below the midpoint when compared with other schools in the district, and the school sits in the bottom quartile among Faulkner County’s public schools when measured by an overall index of proficiency across tested subjects and grades. In third grade, both math and ELA proficiency rates are at the lower end, while fourth-grade ELA stands higher relative to the school’s own other subjects. Science results are similarly modest, with fourth-grade performance a bit above third. The state uses the ATLAS assessment with a levels-based proficiency standard, and the school’s numbers reflect a student body where a substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a metric that often correlates with a range of academic support needs. Parents moving to the area may want to ask the school about its specific approaches to intervention and enrichment, as the proficiency numbers are a starting point rather than a full picture of classroom experience.
The student body is diverse: white students and Black students each form a large share, with Hispanic students making up a smaller but notable portion, and a modest share of students identifying as two or more races. Asian students represent a very small share, and Native American and Pacific Islander groups are not represented in enrollment. Enrollment is well distributed across grades K through four, each grade having a similar number of students, which suggests stable cohorts moving through the building. The school runs on a standard elementary model without magnet or charter status, and while Title I status is not explicitly reported, the free and reduced-price meal rate is high enough to indicate a significant concentration of economic disadvantage. The school’s grade band means there is no graduation rate to report, and no high-school-level metrics such as AP, dual credit, or college readiness are applicable.
The community of Conway shapes the school’s context. The city has a growing population and a strong identity as a college town, hosting the University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix College, and Central Baptist College. A sizable share of adults hold bachelor’s degrees or higher. Major employers include the university, the local health system, the school district itself, and several technology and manufacturing firms. Housing values in the school’s ZIP code area are above the state benchmark, and rents are moderate relative to income. The city is largely car-dependent; fixed-route transit is absent, replaced by a dial-a-ride service. Downtown Conway has some walkable pockets around Toad Suck Square and near Hendrix College, but most residential and commercial areas require driving. For families, this means the school draw area likely feels like a suburban-style neighborhood.
The district has not publicly reported any recent major changes in boundaries, programs, or leadership, so the school’s operational context appears stable for now. Data on special education and English learner populations were not available; a parent may want to ask the school directly about the availability of such services, especially given the school’s high free and reduced-price meal rate and the academic results. Chronic absenteeism and discipline data also were missing, so that dimension of school climate remains unexamined here.
Marguerite Vann Elementary is a school that serves a diverse, economically mixed community in a fast-growing city with a strong college presence. The academic results are below average relative to the county, which is worth exploring further for any family concerned with early-grade proficiency. At the same time, the school sits within a district that operates a large number of elementary campuses across the city, so the family’s housing location and feeder pattern may matter as much as school-level comparisons. For those rooted in Conway’s south side, this school is the neighborhood option, and its strengths and soft spots deserve a direct conversation with the principal.
See more original research from School Decision →