Best Schools in Conway, Arkansas

Conway's public school system spans 16 ranked schools with an average score of 6.1 out of 10. That average covers a meaningful range: 4 of the 16 schools — exactly 25% — score 7 or higher, while the rest cluster in the middle tier. For parents, the takeaway is straightforward: school selection within the city matters more than the district label alone.

The highest-rated school in Conway is Sallie Cone Preschool, which scores 8.4 out of 10. At the K-12 level, Conway High School and Carolyn Lewis Elementary both score 7.5, placing them at the top of their respective grade bands. Conway Junior High School scores 7.2 — strong enough that students moving up from a high-performing elementary enter a consistent academic pipeline. Marguerite Vann Elementary comes in at 6.9, just below the 7-point mark but still outperforming the city average by a visible margin.

Below that top five, most schools land near the 6.1 average. The gap between the upper quarter and the rest is real. A family assigned to one of the four highest-scoring schools gets a materially different academic environment than one assigned elsewhere in the district. Parents whose address maps to a lower-scoring school should research whether any transfer or choice options apply to their situation before assuming their assigned school is the only path.

Conway's overall picture is a district with credible high-end options and an uneven middle. The high school's 7.5 score is significant — it means students who navigate the system have a strong destination. The 6.1 average signals that the path there varies by elementary assignment. Parents new to Conway should look up their address zone, compare scores at each grade level, and think through long-term program continuity from elementary through graduation before finalizing any enrollment decision.