The top reported proficiency rate is 22% in Math. The lowest is 18% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ivory Intermediate School
Ivory Intermediate School serves fourth and fifth graders in Camden, Arkansas, as part of the Camden Fairview School District. The school sits in a community that has experienced pronounced economic and demographic shifts. Camden, the county seat of Ouachita County, was built as a river port and grew around a defense industry and a major paper mill. After the post-Cold War downsizing of defense contracts and the closure of the International Paper mill, the city saw a long period of population decline. More recently, a partial resurgence of defense work at a redeveloped industrial park and a mix of small businesses and professional services have begun to stabilize the local economy. The city retains a historic downtown with two National Register districts and long-running institutions, but the school-age population reflects the broader contraction.
Ivory Intermediate is a focused school, covering only two grade levels. Its enrollment is moderate. The student body is majority Black, with a sizable White minority and small shares of Hispanic, multiracial, and other groups. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is very high, placing the school in a context where nearly all families face significant economic need. The school is not a charter school. Data on special education classification and English learner status was not available, which limits a full picture of the supports in place.
Academic performance on the Arkansas ATLAS assessments, the state’s current testing program, shows a clear picture. In fourth grade, the share of students reaching proficiency or above was below average in math, English language arts, and science. Fifth-grade results were similar, with math and science proficiency rates particularly low and English language arts somewhat higher but still well below where most families would hope to see. Across all tested subjects and grades, Ivory’s overall proficiency index placed the school below the midpoint among districts in Ouachita County when compared to other public schools serving these grade levels. The range among the county’s schools runs from a low baseline to a notably stronger performer; Ivory sits on the lower end of that spread. A parent looking at these results would want to ask the school directly about the specific instructional strategies, interventions, and support programs in place to address these outcomes, particularly given that the student population faces high levels of economic disadvantage.
Because the school serves only elementary and intermediate grades, it has no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism and discipline were not available in the source material. Staffing ratios and course access information were also absent, so there is no way to assess class sizes or the breadth of enrichment offerings from the data on hand.
Housing in the immediate area is notably affordable compared to state and national benchmarks. Home values have seen a slight year-over-year decline. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate hovered just above six percent in mid-2026. The national unemployment rate held steady, but local employment conditions in Ouachita County historically track the broader defense and manufacturing cycles. For a family moving into the district, the cost of housing is relatively low, which is consistent with the area’s population decline and economic reset.
The district itself, formed by a mid-century merger of the Camden and Fairview districts, has not had any major parent-relevant changes, such as a boundary shift, program closure, or leadership turnover, reported in publicly available sources from recent years. This suggests a period of stability in district administration, though a family may still want to inquire directly about current priorities.
Ivory Intermediate School serves a high-need community in a small, historically industrial city that has lost population and economic mass over several decades. The school’s test results are on the lower end of the county spectrum, and a family considering this school should expect to engage closely with staff about academic support and enrichment to understand how the school is working to improve student outcomes. The affordability of housing in Camden is a practical consideration. For a family already in the district, Ivory is the dedicated intermediate school for its attendance zone; for a family moving to the area, understanding the feeder patterns from elementary to intermediate to high school would be an important next step.
See more original research from School Decision →