About Us
Fast Facts
Education Fast Facts
| School Districts |
244 |
| School Year |
178 days |
| Students |
465,000 |
| Students Eligible for Free and Reduced Lunches |
54% |
| Student Attendance |
94.3% |
| Graduation Rate |
76% |
| Per Student Foundation Funding |
$5,789 |
| Teachers |
34,000 |
| Teachers Completely Certified |
99% |
| Teachers with Master's Degrees |
34% |
| Teachers - Professional Development Hours Required |
60 |
| Teachers - Average Salary |
$45,000 |
Smart Points
In 2008 for the first time, more than 50 percent of students at each tested grade level scored proficient or above on all Arkansas Benchmark Exams.
The 2008 edition of Education Week's Quality Counts ranked Arkansas' public education system 8th in the country, and 2nd in terms of policies for teacher quality.
In a June, 2007, editorial, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings wrote, "States that have shown true leadership, such as Arkansas and Massachusetts, can inspire others to act."
Schools
Number of schools, as of Jan. 20, 2009:
| Elementary Schools |
579 |
| Middle Schools/Junior High Schools |
214 |
| High Schools |
299 |
More public school information is available here.
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