Want to know the real demographics of every public school in the Little Rock School District (LRSD) footprint? Don’t listen to “them.” Don’t listen to “us.” Go first person. Read it yourself, straight from adedatabeta.arkansas.gov.
For context, according to U.S. Census, the City of Little Rock is:
- 47% White
- 42% Black
- 6% Hispanic
- 5% Other
- 18% Below Poverty Index
According to Metroplan, in 2012, the last time LRSD’s seven board zones were redrawn, the 178,391 residents of the LRSD were:
- 47% White (84,513)
- 44% Black (78,724)
- 7% Hispanic (12,551)
- 1.5% Other (2,603)
Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL)
Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL), the longtime education euphemism for poverty, no longer means what it did. For example, beginning in 2014-15, schools with 40% or more identified Free Lunch students in the previous school year could qualify for 100% free breakfast and lunch through the federal Community Eligibility Provision. Identified students are those certified for free meals without the use of household applications (e.g. those directly certified through SNAP – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
How has this impacted FRL percentages? In 2014-15, only two schools in all of Arkansas had 100% FRL students. In 2015-16, there were 153, led by LRSD with 31, including Forest Heights STEM Academy. The year before Community Eligibility Provision was available, LRSD was 63% FRL, 18 points lower than 2015-16.
So, 100% FRL simply meant all students, no matter their income, are receiving free breakfast and lunch.
In 2015-16, LRSD incorrectly reported its FRL data, listing schools participating in Community Eligibility Provision as 100% FRL. That was corrected in 2016-17, thus the 10 point drop in FRL. The Arkansas school and district average is 61%.
For perspective, the median income for an Arkansas family of four is $41,995. According to federal guidelines, families of four with a household income of $44,955 or less qualify for reduced price lunch.
LRSD Free and Reduced Lunch Percentages
- 2016-17: 71% (After Community Eligibility Provision)
- 2015-16: 81% (After Community Eligibility Provision)
- 2014-15: 75% (After Community Eligibility Provision)
- 2013-14: 63%
- 2012-13: 72%
- 2011-12: 71%
- 2010-11: 70%
- 2009-10: 70%
- 2008-09: 65%
- 2007-08: 64%
- 2006-07: 62%
- 2005-06: 62%
- 2004-05: 59%
High Schools (9-12)
| School | Enroll. | SPED * | LEP ** | FRL *** | White | Hispanic | Black | Other | Min. | Admiss. |
| Central (LRSD) | 2,481 | 6% | 3% | 48% | 29% | 5% | 58% | 9% | 71% | Residence; Magnet |
| eStem (Charter) | 484 | 7% | 1% | 27% | 37% | 6% | 51% | 6% | 63% | Open; Blind Lottery |
| Fair (LRSD) | 901 | 14% | 6% | 82% | 4% | 8% | 87% | 1% | 96% | Residence |
| Hall (LRSD) | 1,135 | 14% | 27% | 78% | 5% | 29% | 64% | 2% | 95% | Residence |
| LISA (Charter) | 365 | 6% | 1% | 42% | 24% | 17% | 47% | 12% | 76% | Open; Blind Lottery |
| McClellan (LRSD) | 806 | 15% | 5% | 85% | 3% | 7% | 89% | 1% | 97% | Residence |
| Parkview (LRSD) | 1,137 | 5% | 11% | 61% | 20% | 16% | 61% | 3% | 80% | Magnet |
| Premier (Charter) | 109 | 11% | 0% | 65% | 9% | 3% | 88% | 0% | 91% | Open; Blind Lottery |
| SIA Tech (Charter) | 171 | 3% | 0% | 82% | 3% | 5% | 91% | 1% | 97% | Open; Blind Lottery |
*Special Education Percentage
** Limited English Proficiency
***Free and Reduced Lunch Percentage
Highest Percentages
- SPED – McClellan (15%)
- LEP – Hall (27%)
- FRL – McClellan (85%)
- Hispanic – Hall (29%)
- Black – SIA Tech (91%)
- Other – LISA (12%)
- Minority – SIA Tech (97%)
Middle Schools (6-8)
| School | Enroll. | SPED * | LEP ** | FRL *** | White | Hisp. | Black | Other | Min. | Admiss. |
| Cloverdale (LRSD) | 576 | 13% | 28% | 92% | 2% | 31% | 66% | 1% | 98% | Residence |
| Covenant Keepers (Charter) | 180 | 4% | 42% | 94% | 0% | 53% | 46% | 1% | 100% | Open; Blind Lottery |
| Dunbar (LRSD) | 648 | 13% | 7% | 88% | 5% | 8% | 86% | 1% | 95% | Magnet |
| eStem (5-8) (Charter) | 501 | 7% | 1% | 36% | 43% | 6% | 46% | 6% | 57% | Open; Blind Lottery |
| Henderson (LRSD) | 693 | 14% | 10% | 84% | 4% | 12% | 82% | 2% | 96% | Residence |
| LISA (7-8) (Charter) | 356 | 5% | 6% | 35% | 20% | 16% | 38% | 26% | 80% | Open; Blind Lottery |
| Little Rock Prep (5-8) (Charter) | 152 | 11% | 0% | 86% | 2% | 14% | 84% | 0% | 98% | Open; Blind Lottery |
| Mabelvale (LRSD) | 601 | 15% | 15% | 89% | 5% | 16% | 77% | 2% | 95% | Residence |
| Mann (LRSD) | 818 | 11% | 12% | 70% | 15% | 16% | 65% | 4% | 85% | Magnet |
| Pinnacle View (6) (LRSD) | 222 | 13% | 8% | 52% | 41% | 2% | 46% | 10% | 59% | Elem. Residence |
| Pulaski Heights (LRSD) | 744 | 12% | 2% | 53% | 39% | 3% | 55% | 3% | 61% | Residence |
| Quest (6-10) (Charter)**** | 192 | 17% | 0% | 12% | 60% | 7% | 22% | 11% | 40% | Open; Blind Lottery |
**** In Pulaski County Special School District
Highest Percentages
- SPED – Quest (17%)
- LEP – Covenant Keepers (42%)
- FRL – Covenant Keepers (94%)
- White – Quest (60%)
- Hispanic – Covenant Keepers (53%)
- Black – Dunbar (86%)
- Other – LISA (26%)
- Minority – Covenant Keepers (100%)
K-8 Schools
| School | Enroll. | SPED * | LEP ** | FRL *** | White | Hisp. | Black | Other | Min. | Admiss. |
| Exalt (K-8) | 307 | 4% | 26% | 96% | 2% | 51% | 45% | 1% | 98% | Open; Blind Lottery |
| Forest Heights STEM (K-8) (LRSD) | 687 | 8% | 8% | 44% | 35% | 7% | 51% | 7% | 65% | Application |
| Rockbridge Montessori (K-8) (Charter) | 151 | 7% | 0% | 56% | 18% | 6% | 68% | 9% | 82% | Open; Blind Lottery |
Elementary Schools (P-5)
| School | Enroll. | SPED * | LEP ** | FRL *** | White | Hisp. | Black | Other | Min. | Admiss. |
| Bale (LRSD) | 347 | 18% | 13% | 83% | 9% | 13% | 75% | 4% | 91% | Residence |
| Baseline (LRSD) | 296 | 16% | 53% | 96% | 4% | 55% | 40% | 1% | 96% | Residence |
| Booker (LRSD) | 443 | 10% | 14% | 85% | 11% | 18% | 67% | 5% | 89% | Magnet |
| Brady (LRSD) | 386 | 10% | 8% | 90% | 7% | 11% | 80% | 1% | 93% | Residence |
| Carver (K-5) (LRSD) | 242 | 17% | 10% | 66% | 14% | 15% | 67% | 4% | 86% | Residence |
| Chicot (LRSD) | 526 | 12% | 35% | 91% | 4% | 37% | 56% | 2% | 96% | Residence |
| Dodd (K-5) (LRSD) | 266 | 6% | 39% | 89% | 6% | 43% | 48% | 2% | 94% | Residence |
| eStem (K-4) (Charter) | 501 | 7% | 1% | 36% | 43% | 6% | 46% | 6% | 57% | Open; Blind Lottery |
| Forest Park (LRSD) | 425 | 9% | 5% | 18% | 74% | 5% | 16% | 5% | 26% | Residence |
| Franklin (LRSD) | 269 | 20% | 2% | 92% | 5% | 4% | 90% | 1% | 95% | Residence |
| Fulbright (LRSD) | 572 | 16% | 5% | 47% | 39% | 7% | 47% | 7% | 61% | Residence |
| Gibbs (K-5) (LRSD) | 286 | 7% | 5% | 52% | 29% | 5% | 63% | 4% | 71% | Magnet |
| Jefferson (LRSD) | 361 | 12% | 2% | 31% | 72% | 3% | 21% | 4% | 28% | Residence |
| King (LRSD) | 384 | 15% | 0% | 89% | 4% | 2% | 93% | 1% | 96% | Residence |
| LISA Academy (K-6) (Charter) | 540 | 4% | 12% | 57% | 14% | 21% | 49% | 16% | 86% | Open; Blind Lottery |
| Little Rock Prep (K-4) (Charter) | 259 | 9% | 1% | 83% | 0% | 8% | 92% | 0% | 100% | Open; Blind Lottery |
| Mabelvale (LRSD) | 490 | 9% | 24% | 91% | 8% | 25% | 65% | 2% | 92% | Residence |
| McDermott (LRSD) | 323 | 16% | 10% | 75% | 7% | 11% | 81% | 1% | 93% | Residence |
| Meadowcliff (LRSD) | 355 | 14% | 17% | 95% | 5% | 19% | 75% | 1% | 95% | Residence |
| Otter Creek (LRSD) | 489 | 12% | 22% | 79% | 7% | 25% | 66% | 2% | 93% | Residence |
| Pulaski Heights (LRSD) | 304 | 11% | 2% | 51% | 50% | 4% | 42% | 4% | 50% | Residence |
| Roberts (K-5) (LRSD) | 885 | 10% | 14% | 33% | 57% | 4% | 23% | 16% | 43% | Residence |
| Rockefeller (LRSD) | 365 | 16% | 3% | 82% | 3% | 3% | 91% | 2% | 97% | Residence |
| Romine (LRSD) | 241 | 18% | 11% | 85% | 5% | 10% | 85% | 0% | 95% | Residence |
| Stephens (LRSD) | 319 | 18% | 2% | 87% | 2% | 2% | 94% | 2% | 98% | Residence |
| Terry (LRSD) | 381 | 10% | 14% | 76% | 13% | 14% | 68% | 5% | 87% | Residence |
| Wakefield (LRSD) | 549 | 9% | 31% | 97% | 2% | 34% | 63% | 1% | 98% | Residence |
| Washington (LRSD) | 386 | 22% | 1% | 94% | 3% | 1% | 94% | 2% | 97% | Residence |
| Watson (LRSD) | 504 | 9% | 35% | 95% | 3% | 38% | 58% | 1% | 97% | Residence |
| Western Hills (LRSD) | 199 | 18% | 16% | 88% | 11% | 18% | 69% | 2% | 89% | Residence |
| Williams (LRSD) | 500 | 8% | 16% | 58% | 24% | 8% | 56% | 12% | 76% | Magnet |
| Wilson (LRSD) | 316 | 19% | 21% | 92% | 3% | 29% | 65% | 3% | 97% | Residence |
Highest Percentages
- SPED – Washington (22%)
- LEP – Baseline (53%)
- FRL – Wakefield (97%)
- White – Forest Park (74%)
- Hispanic – Baseline (55%)
- Black – Stephens, Washington (94%)
- Other – LISA, Roberts (16%)
- Minority – Little Rock Preparatory Academy (100%)
Fast Facts
- The public school that most reflects the demographics of the City of Little Rock? LRSD Pulaski Heights Elementary
- The public school that most reflects the demographics of the LRSD? Rockbridge Montessori Charter
- The most Black/White balanced public school in the footprint? eStem Public Charter Schools Elementary and Middle
- The most multi-culturally diverse public school in the footprint? LISA Academy Middle
- The most segregated public school in the footprint (Black)? LRSD Stephens and Washington Elementaries
- The most segregated public school in the footprint (White)? LRSD Forest Park Elementary
- The most segregated public school in the footprint (Hispanic)? LRSD Baseline Elementary
- The only public school in the footprint with zero White students and 100% Minority? Little Rock Prep Elementary
- Seventeen LRSD schools are 70% or more one race: five 70-79%, seven 80-89%, and five 90-100%
- No open-enrollment public charter school in LRSD footprint is above 45% White. Four LRSD schools are above 45% White – Pulaski Heights Elementary (50%), Roberts Elementary (57%), Jefferson Elementary (72%), and Forest Park Elementary (74%). Quest, in PCSSD, is 60% White.