Sherwood Elementary School, Sherwood AR

Original Research by School Decision on Sherwood Elementary School

Sherwood Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Pulaski County Special School District, located in the primarily residential suburb of Sherwood, Arkansas. The student body is diverse, with two roughly equal demographic groups—Black students and White students—each making up a substantial share, along with a meaningful Hispanic presence and smaller populations of other races and ethnicities. Just under half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a moderate level of economic need in the school community.

Academically, the school participates in Arkansas’s statewide ATLAS assessments, and results vary noticeably by grade level and subject. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above ranged from a modest level in fourth grade to a stronger level in fifth grade. English language arts proficiency was lower in third grade, improved by fourth grade, and reached a more solid level in fifth grade. Science performance followed a similar pattern, with fifth graders again achieving a higher rate than the lower grades. Across all tested grades and subjects, the school’s overall proficiency index sits well above the midpoint relative to school districts throughout Pulaski County, placing it among the stronger-performing elementary settings in the area. The upward trend from grade to grade is worth noting—students in the upper grades generally performed better than their younger peers, particularly in reading and science. Still, the early-grade results, especially in third grade, are softer, and a parent may want to ask the school how it supports literacy and foundational math skills in the primary years.

Because Sherwood Elementary ends at fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism, special education, and English learner populations were not available in the materials reviewed, so those dimensions remain unexamined here. Likewise, no information was provided on the school’s program offerings, course access, or staffing ratios.

Sherwood itself is a suburban city within the Little Rock metropolitan area, characterized by residential neighborhoods, commercial corridors along major highways, and medical facilities that anchor the local economy. The housing market reflects moderate prices compared to national averages, with home values and rents both rising at a measured pace in recent months. The city has grown steadily over time, absorbing nearby areas such as Gravel Ridge through annexation, though growth has slowed in the past several years. Recreational amenities include lakes, a municipal golf course, parks, and a splash pad. Schools and civic buildings are scattered across town rather than concentrated in a walkable downtown, consistent with the auto-oriented suburban layout.

The Pulaski County Special School District itself emerged from a long-running desegregation case in 2021, when a federal court declared the district unitary and ended decades of court supervision. That legal shift gives the district more autonomy over school assignments, transfers, and equity programming, though its direct impact on Sherwood Elementary is not spelled out in the available information.

For a family considering this school, Sherwood Elementary offers a diverse, neighborhood-based elementary experience in a growing suburb with family-oriented amenities and a manageable commute to Little Rock. The academic picture is mixed in the early grades but shows stronger results by fifth grade, and the school’s overall performance compares favorably with other districts in the county. A parent may want to follow up on early literacy and math support, as well as any enrichment or intervention programs available for students who need additional help.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 338%

School 38% · District 33% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 435%

School 35% · District 36% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 551%

School 51% · District 32% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 330%

School 30% · District 33% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 447%

School 47% · District 37% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 560%

School 60% · District 36% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 37 pts above county median

Science

Grade 337%

School 37% · District 33% · ▲ 4 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 440%

School 40% · District 36% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 551%

School 51% · District 35% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

This schoolPULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL 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-income31%Higher-income50%19 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income30%Higher-income60%30 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income62%Higher-income77%15 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income14%Higher-income60%46 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income30%Higher-income32%2 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income36%Higher-income62%26 pp gap