The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in Science. The lowest is 49% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Carolyn Lewis Elementary Schoo
Carolyn Lewis Elementary School serves kindergarten through fourth grade in Conway, Arkansas, as part of the Conway School District. It is a neighborhood public school in a mid-sized city that is both a county seat and a regional hub, with a strong identity shaped by three higher-education institutions: the University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix College, and Central Baptist College. Conway has been one of the faster-growing cities in the state, drawing new industrial investment and population, which feeds into the school's enrollment and the housing market surrounding it. The school sits on the east side of town, on Old Military Road.
The student body of roughly 500 children is diverse. About half of the students are white, a little over a quarter are Black, more than one in ten is Hispanic, and a similar share identify as two or more races. A handful of Asian and Native American students round out the mix. Just over half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic need that is substantial but not unusual for a public elementary school in Arkansas. The school does not report data on special education or English learner populations, so a parent who wants to understand how those students are served will need to ask the school directly.
Academically, Carolyn Lewis Elementary places above the midpoint relative to the six districts in Faulkner County when you combine proficiency across tested subjects and grades in the 2024-25 school year. That is a solid position. The Arkansas ATLAS assessment results for grades three and four show a mixed picture worth looking at grade by grade. In grade three, just under half of students scored at the proficient level in math and English language arts, and a similar share did so in science. By grade four, the numbers tick up more clearly: about half or more of students met proficiency in math and ELA, and science jumped to a strong showing where over three-fifths of students reached that benchmark. The upward trend from third to fourth grade in all three subjects is a positive signal about academic growth within the school, though parents may want to ask the school how it supports students who arrive below grade level, especially in the early years.
Because this is a primary school with no high school grades, there is no graduation rate to consider, and no advanced placement or career-and-technical course data applies. The school's mission is building foundational literacy and numeracy, and the middle-of-the-pack to slightly above-average proficiency rates suggest a typical public elementary experience in a district that serves a wide range of families.
The community context matters for families deciding where to live. Conway is car-dependent with limited walkability and no fixed-route transit; most families drive to school. Housing values in the school's ZIP code were around the national median, with rental prices moderate relative to incomes. The local unemployment rate has been low, and the economy draws on education, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing. The school district itself is a major employer. The presence of three colleges gives Conway a well-educated workforce and a civic life that includes events like Toad Suck Daze, a Shakespeare festival, and a symphony. For a family looking at Carolyn Lewis, the peer environment is a diverse, economically mixed elementary school in a growing small city where higher education is a visible part of daily life. The school's most notable academic strength is the improvement seen by fourth grade and the strong science results at that level. The third-grade numbers are softer, and a parent may want to explore how the school addresses early literacy and math gaps, particularly given the share of students from lower-income households. Conway School District has not publicly reported any major recent changes or initiatives, so it is best to evaluate the school on the current data and a visit.
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