The top reported proficiency rate is 33% in Science. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Decatur Northside Elementary
Decatur Northside Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade in a small, rural community in western Benton County. The school sits within the Decatur School District and draws from a town that has historically been tied to the poultry industry and agriculture. In 2024, a tornado caused extensive damage on the west side of the community, and residents are still rebuilding. The population has grown slowly over the years, but the closure of a major poultry processing plant in 2023 was an economic setback. Housing in the area is priced below the national median, and the mortgage and rent costs are relatively manageable compared to larger markets in the region.
The school enrolls a modest number of students for its grade band, and every student qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, indicating a high level of economic need. The student body is diverse: roughly half of the students are Hispanic, close to half are white, and smaller shares are American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and multiracial. Data on the share of students with disabilities or who are English learners was not available in the reporting.
Academic performance on the state’s ATLAS assessments is below what most families would expect. The school’s overall proficiency rate across math, English language arts, and science in grades three and four places it among the lowest in Benton County. In math, about a third of third graders scored at the proficient level or above, while fourth graders scored at a lower rate. In English language arts, third graders were below the third of students proficient, though fourth graders performed slightly better, approaching a third proficient. Science results were mixed: third graders scored at a higher rate than in other subjects, with about two out of five reaching proficiency, while fourth graders returned to a lower rate similar to their math performance. A parent considering this school may want to discuss specific instructional supports and interventions with the school leadership, especially given the consistency of lower proficiency across multiple subjects.
No trend data was available to show whether scores are improving or declining over time. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. We looked for information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, and staffing ratios, but those fields were not present in the data provided. The district has not recently undertaken any major policy changes, curriculum adoptions, or bond referendums that surfaced in available research, so the immediate context for the school appears stable.
For a family evaluating this school, the most salient factors are its small size, the universal poverty designation, and the academic results that fall well below the county average. The community itself is tight-knit and rural, with limited commercial activity and a recreational lake nearby. The school building is integrated into the town’s small footprint, and the district also includes a high school for later grades. Families looking for a stronger academic track record or a wider array of enrichment programs may find that other Benton County schools offer different profiles, while those who prioritize a small, local elementary within a community rebuilding from natural disaster may see this as a place that fits.
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