Total enrollment
2,738
-91 (-3%) vs SY 2020-21
Sharp County
Arkansas · Public K-12
Sharp County, Arkansas reports 6 public K-12 schools to NCES, set against a county population of about 17,773, with a mix of 2 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high.
4-year change in Sharp County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
6
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Sharp County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Arkansas | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 44.1% | #3 of 66 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 2,738 | #44 of 68 | #1,933 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 6 | #60 of 68 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 10.2:1 | #23 of 65 | #161 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 76.0% | #31 of 68 | #571 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 14.3% | #60 of 66 | #2,370 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Residents
17,773
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
6
2 districts
Enrollment
2,738
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$44,637
Below Arkansas avg
Free/reduced lunch
76.0%
Below Arkansas avg
Elementary
2
1,186 students
Middle
2
701 students
High
2
851 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
HIGHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT
1,499 students · 2 districts in Sharp County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Sharp County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
13.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
12.0%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
8.1%
civilian labor
Median age
47
20.4% under 18
Test scores in Sharp County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 6 schools ranked. Arkansas state average: 34.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAVE CITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Cave City | Elementary | PK-05 | 605 | · |
| CHEROKEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Hardy | Elementary | PK-04 | 581 | · |
| HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL | Hardy | High | 09-12 | 476 | · |
| HIGHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL | Hardy | Middle | 05-08 | 442 | · |
| CAVE CITY HIGH CAREER & COLLEGIATE PREPARATORY SCHOOL | Cave City | High | 09-12 | 375 | · |
| CAVE CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL CAREER AND COLLEGIATE PREPARATORY | Cave City | Middle | 06-08 | 259 | · |
Cities in Sharp County
About Sharp County
Sharp County is a rural-scale county of about 17,773 residents in Arkansas. Its public-school system hosts approximately 2,738 students across 6 schools.
Zooming out, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $44,637, about 14% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 12%. That income level is 15% noticeably below the Arkansas median.
On the school-mix side, Sharp County consists of 2 elementary schools (1,186 students), 2 middle schools (701), and 2 high schools (851).
The largest single district in Sharp County is HIGHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT, which alone enrolls about 1,499 students.
Five-year track record. Total public-school enrollment in Sharp County has decreased 3% since SY 2020-21, moving from about 2,829 students to 2,738.
On allk12, the community for Sharp County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data