Enrollment
299
Elementary
DISTRICT 354 · STATE 418
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·FORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT·NCES 050633000364
HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1301 N 8TH ST, FORT SMITH, AR 72901 · (479) 783-7382 · Sebastian County
GRADES PK–05ELEMENTARY13-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL299 STUDENTS
C
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 31% of Arkansas public elementary schools
- C-Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- C+Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- ·Three-year trend Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Arkansas public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
18.9:1
16 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 18.1:1 · STATE 16.0:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
92%
276 students
DISTRICT 78% · STATE 70%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 20 | 7% |
| Kindergarten | 39 | 13% |
| Grade 1 | 51 | 17% |
| Grade 2 | 50 | 17% |
| Grade 3 | 50 | 17% |
| Grade 4 | 41 | 14% |
| Grade 5 | 48 | 16% |
This year's kindergarten class (39) is 19% smaller than its 5th grade class (48).
Student demographics
55%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 71% · STATE 61% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
ATLAS 2024-25 . % Proficient (Level 3+4)English Language Arts
31.4%
AR avg 34.9% . +5.9pp since 2023
Math
29.3%
AR avg 38.9% . -1.1pp since 2023
What this means: On the ATLAS, Arkansas's statewide test, about 31 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 29 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Arkansas schools, those numbers are about 35 and 39. Reading and writing scores are up about 6 points since 2023, while math scores are down about 1 points.
ATLAS results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 31.4% | 29.3% |
| 2023-24 | 25.5% | 30.4% |
% Proficient (Level 3+4), all students and all tested grades.
Source: ATLAS. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
25.9%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
25.5%
based on AR schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+0.3pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 26% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 26% typical for Arkansas schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Arkansas's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL's state test result (25.9% proficient) is higher than 5 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL this school | 299 | 92.3% | 25.9% |
| PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FORT SMITH | 387 | 89.9% | 20.1% |
| TILLES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FORT SMITH | 343 | 90.4% | 14.2% |
| JONES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SPRINGDALE | 464 | 95.0% | 14.3% |
| SPRADLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FORT SMITH | 307 | 94.5% | 24.3% |
| PARSON HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SPRINGDALE | 517 | 95.4% | 14.2% |
Matched among Arkansas elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Arkansas | In Sebastian County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 25.9% | #344 of 461 | #15 of 23 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 29.3% | #310 of 465 ▼ 23 | #15 of 23 ▼ 1 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 31.4% | #279 of 465 ▲ 69 | #13 of 23 ▲ 2 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 299 | #393 of 531 | #17 of 23 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 18.9:1 | #432 of 480 | #15 of 21 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 55.3% | #170 of 480 | #17 of 21 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 92.3% | #153 of 513 | #4 of 23 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -20.5% | #87 of 311 | #8 of 18 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
299
-35 (-10%) vs 2020
-8% since 1990-91, when it was 324
Student : Teacher
18.9:1
was 15.9:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 299 | 15.9 | 18.9:1 | 92% (276) |
| 2023-24 | 253 | 14.5 | 17.4:1 | 91% (231) |
| 2022-23 | 263 | 15.7 | 16.7:1 | 92% (242) |
| 2020-21 | 334 | 21 | 15.9:1 | 96% (320) |
| 2017-18 | 376 | 23.6 | 15.9:1 | 46% (173) |
| 2015-16 | 367 | 24 | 15.3:1 | 92% (339) |
| 2010-11 | 395 | 24 | 16.5:1 | 97% (385) |
| 2000-01 | 308 | 20 | 15.4:1 | 93% (287) |
| 1990-91 | 324 | 15 | 21.6:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
About HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is a small elementary school in Arkansas, located in FORT SMITH. The grade span is pre-K through 5, and enrollment is 299 students. Average enrollment for elementary schools in Arkansas is about 418, so this school runs 28% smaller than that.
FORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT, which runs HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, has 27 schools and 14,164 students.
A majority of students at HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 63%, are Hispanic. Beyond that, enrollment is 17% White, 10% Black, and 10% multiracial. The Hispanic share of the county population is lower, at 16%. By the diversity index, HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL comes in at 55%.
The count of teachers at HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is 15.9 full-time equivalents, for a ratio of 18.9:1. The average ratio among elementary schools in Arkansas is 16.0:1, lower than at this school. Around 92% of the school's students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Across public schools in Sebastian County, the average is 65%.
Measured against Arkansas public elementary schools, HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL receives a C. The grade weighs proficiency most heavily, then how results compare with what the school's low-income share predicts, then the three-year change.
The school's average proficiency rate on state tests is 25.9%. For its free or reduced-price lunch share, the predicted value is 25.5%.
In Sebastian County (population about 128,900), median household income is about $57,790, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 23% of adults, and the share of residents below the poverty line is 11%. HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is one of 44 public schools in Sebastian County, which together enroll about 20,239 students.
The closest public school, FUTURE SCHOOL OF FORT SMITH, is about 0.5 miles from HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. Around the school, at least 8 other public schools are within five miles. Of the 8 nearby schools with scores, including this one, HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is 3rd on average proficiency.
Under the NCES locale system, HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is City: Small.
A comparison of 2020-21 and 2024-25 shows enrollment down 10%, from 334 to 299. There were more students per teacher in 2024-25 (18.9:1) than in 2020-21 (15.9:1).
The HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL community page is open for posts about enrollment questions, class placement, and PTA news. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.
Sebastian County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
128,900
Census ACS
Median income
$57,790
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
23%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
11%
Below federal line
Schools in county
44
20,239 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in FORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT
- NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,231 students
- SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,053 students
- RAMSEY MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 801 students
- DORA KIMMONS MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 753 students
- L. A. CHAFFIN MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 753 students
- WILLIAM O. DARBY MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 711 students
Other schools in FORT SMITH
- NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,231 students
- SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,053 students
- RAMSEY MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 801 students
- DORA KIMMONS MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 753 students
- L. A. CHAFFIN MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 753 students
- WILLIAM O. DARBY MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 711 students
Other Howard Elementary schools
13 other US public schools in 11 states are named Howard Elementary. HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is the 10th largest of the 14.
- Howard ElementaryGallatin, TN · 591 students
- Howard ElementaryMadera, CA · 487 students
- HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLGRAND ISLAND, NE · 484 students
- Howard Elementary SchoolEugene, OR · 474 students
- Howard Elementary SchoolDEARBORN, MI · 436 students
Nearby schools
- FUTURE SCHOOL OF FORT SMITH0.5 mi · 235
- TILLES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL0.6 mi · 343
- WILLIAM O. DARBY MIDDLE SCHOOL0.6 mi · 711
- INSTITUTE FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS SCHOOL0.7 mi · 49
- NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL1.3 mi · 2,231
- TRUSTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL1.5 mi · 119
Frequently asked questions
About HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLHow many students attend HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL enrolls approximately 299 students in grades PK-05.
What age range does HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL serve?
HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL serves students from grade PK through grade 05.
What is the student-teacher ratio at HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
The student-to-teacher ratio at HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is approximately 18.9:1 (16 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
At HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, the student body is approximately 17% White, 63% Hispanic, 10% Black, 0% Asian, 10% Two or more.
Who oversees HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
HOWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is overseen by FORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT in Sebastian County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.