Top Rankings
Van Buren School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Arkansas for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 3 public middle schools serving 1,402 students in Van Buren School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public middle schools in Arkansas.
Public Middle Schools in Van Buren School District have an average math proficiency score of 46% (versus the Arkansas public middle school average of 36%), and reading proficiency score of 45% (versus the 42% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 34% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Arkansas public middle school average of 41% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (AR)
# Schools
11 Schools
352 Schools
# Students
5,809 Students
147,541 Students
# Teachers
428 Teachers
13,335 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Van Buren School District, which is ranked within the top 30% of all 258 school districts in Arkansas (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 90% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#73 out of 259 school districts
(Top 30%)
(Top 30%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
41%
38%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
44%
40%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
37%
36%
Graduation Rate
90%
88%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.54
0.60
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
2%
2%
% Hispanic
21%
14%
% Black
2%
19%
% White
64%
59%
% Hawaiian
n/a
1%
% Two or more races
10%
4%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $12,140 in this school district is less than the state median of $13,132. The school district revenue/student has declined by 5% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,842 is less than the state median of $13,043. The school district spending/student has declined by 5% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$71 MM
$6,371 MM
Spending
$69 MM
$6,327 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,140
$13,132
Spending / Student
$11,842
$13,043
Best Van Buren School District Public Middle Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Northridge Middle School
(Math: 57% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
120 Northridge Dr
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3126
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3126
Grades: 6-8
| 739 students
Rank: #22.
Butterfield Trail Middle School
(Math: 39% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
310 N 11th St
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-6838
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 474-6838
Grades: 6-8
| 558 students
Rank: #33.
River Valley Virtual Academy
Charter School
(Math: 15-19% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
60 Northridge Drive
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3165
Van Buren, AR 72956
(479) 471-3165
Grades: K-12
| 105 students
Recent Articles

Texas Schools: The Voucher/School Choice Debate
The issue of school choice and a voucher system is currently being revisited in Houston and across the state of Texas, with strong opinions on both sides of the debate.

Fuel Up to Play 60 Focuses on Integrating Fitness and Wellness into the School Day
What if NFL players came to your school? With the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, sponsored by the National Dairy Council and the NFL, nutrition and exercise are promoted during the school day. NFL players participate in the program by coming to schools and talking to students about fitness. Learn more about the program and some of the schools that are implementing it.

What Parents Need to Know About Lunch Shaming
Students all over the nation go hungry every day not because their schools don’t offer lunch, but because they refuse them to children with outstanding debts. Read on to learn about the horror that is lunch shaming and what can be done about it.