5.9 avg / 10

Best Schools in Little Rock, Arkansas

89 schools · 48 Elementary · 12 Middle · 16 High · 13 Other

Last updated: May 2026

Public: 72

Private: 17

Districts: 16

Avg Rating: 5.9/10

Estimated Scores: 23%

Family Snapshot

At a glance

Avg school rating: 5.9/10
Median household income: $73,920
Median home value: $247,517
Bachelor's degree or higher: 49%
Avg commute: 19 min
Owner-occupied homes: 56%

How Little Rock compares

Arkansas rank

#92 of 123

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-0.4

below Arkansas avg (6.2)

Median household income

$74k

134% of Arkansas median

Schools in this city

About Schools in Little Rock, Arkansas

Little Rock has 70 ranked public schools with an average score of 5.7 out of 10. That average masks real range: 19 schools — 27% of the city's ranked schools — score 7 or higher, while a significant share pull the average down. Parents should treat the 5.7 citywide figure as a baseline, not a ceiling, and sort from the top.

At the top of the field, Baker Elementary scores 9.4 out of 10, the city's highest-rated school. Joe T. Robinson Middle follows at 9.3 — a strong anchor at the middle school level, where high-performing options tend to be harder to find than at the elementary level. Chenal Elementary (8.6), Arkansas School for the Blind High School (8.4), and Pulaski Heights Elementary (8.4) round out the top five. Three of those five serve elementary grades, meaning the strongest options concentrate in the lower grades.

The 27% of schools clearing the 7-point threshold gives families meaningful choices, but it also means roughly three in four ranked schools fall below that mark. Little Rock's school landscape spans multiple districts, so performance varies significantly by geography and attendance zone. Elementary families have the widest set of strong choices — three of the five top-rated schools serve elementary grades. At the middle school level, Robinson stands out clearly. High school options are thinner at the top — Arkansas School for the Blind is the only high school in the top five — so families with older students should examine the full district landscape carefully.

The practical move: filter first by grade level, then target schools scoring 7 or above. That narrows the 70-school set to a manageable list. Baker and Robinson are the strongest individual choices at their respective grade levels, and Pulaski Heights and Chenal give elementary families additional high-performing options nearby. The wide performance spread across the city means where you live shapes your choices far more than the 5.7 average suggests.

Filter by Level: All Levels (89) Elementary (48) Middle (12) High (16)

Filter by Type: All Types (89) Public (72) Private (17)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (89) Academics (89) Growth (60) Resources (72)

Filter by ZIP: 72205 (16) 72206 (12) 72209 (12) 72223 (11) 72202 (9) 72204 (6) 72211 (5) 72212 (5) 72201 (4) 72207 (4) 72203 (2) 72210 (2)

Elementary Schools

48 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	BAKER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 392 students · Pre-K–5th	392	Pre-K–5th	9.1
2	DAISY BATES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 418 students · Pre-K–5th	418	Pre-K–5th	8.5
3	CHENAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 420 students · Kindergarten–5th	420	Kindergarten–5th	8.4
4	PULASKI HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 273 students · Kindergarten–5th	273	Kindergarten–5th	8.2
5	DON ROBERTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1,020 students · Kindergarten–5th	1,020	Kindergarten–5th	7.9
6	IVY HILL PREPARATORY ACADEMY 346 students · Kindergarten–8th	346	Kindergarten–8th	7.6
7	JOE T. ROBINSON ELEM. SCHOOL 305 students · Pre-K–5th	305	Pre-K–5th	7.5
8	JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 384 students · Kindergarten–5th	384	Kindergarten–5th	7.2
9	FOREST HEIGHTS STEM ACADEMY 782 students · Kindergarten–8th	782	Kindergarten–8th	7.2
10	LAWSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 183 students · Kindergarten–5th	183	Kindergarten–5th	7.0
11	EXALT ACADEMY OF SOUTHWEST LITTLE ROCK 749 students · Kindergarten–8th	749	Kindergarten–8th	6.6
12	WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 339 students · Kindergarten–5th	339	Kindergarten–5th	6.4
13	FOREST PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 387 students · Pre-K–5th	387	Pre-K–5th	6.1
14	BASELINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 274 students · Kindergarten–5th	274	Kindergarten–5th	6.0
15	EAST END INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL 409 students · 3rd–5th	409	3rd–5th	5.8
16	FOUNDERS CLASSICAL ACADEMIES OF AR WEST LITTLE ROCK ELEM 54 students · Kindergarten–6th	54	Kindergarten–6th	5.4
17	FRIENDSHIP ACADEMY LITTLE ROCK ELEMENTARY 241 students · Kindergarten–5th	241	Kindergarten–5th	5.2
18	WATSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 417 students · Kindergarten–5th	417	Kindergarten–5th	5.2
19	ARK VIRTUAL ACADEMY ELEMENTARY 1,014 students · Kindergarten–5th	1,014	Kindergarten–5th	5.1
20	BRADY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 322 students · Kindergarten–5th	322	Kindergarten–5th	5.1
21	GIBBS MAGNET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 299 students · Pre-K–5th	299	Pre-K–5th	5.0
22	FULBRIGHT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 533 students · Pre-K–5th	533	Pre-K–5th	5.0
23	J.A. FAIR K8 PREPARATORY SCHOOL 801 students · Kindergarten–8th	801	Kindergarten–8th	4.8
24	WILLIAMS MAGNET ELEM. SCHOOL 348 students · Kindergarten–5th	348	Kindergarten–5th	4.6
25	EAST END ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 455 students · Pre-K–2nd	455	Pre-K–2nd	4.5

Show 23 more elementary schools

26	WESTERN HILLS ELEM. SCHOOL 277 students · Kindergarten–5th	277	Kindergarten–5th	4.5
27	BALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 391 students · Kindergarten–5th	391	Kindergarten–5th	4.5
28	WAKEFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 439 students · Kindergarten–5th	439	Kindergarten–5th	4.5
29	LISA ACADEMY WEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 603 students · Kindergarten–5th	603	Kindergarten–5th	4.4
30	ESTEM EAST VILLAGE ELEMENTARY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL 701 students · Kindergarten–6th	701	Kindergarten–6th	4.0
31	LANDMARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 296 students · Pre-K–5th	296	Pre-K–5th	4.0
32	CARVER STEAM MAGNET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 299 students · Kindergarten–5th	299	Kindergarten–5th	3.8
33	ARK. SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND ELEM 30 students · Kindergarten–6th	30	Kindergarten–6th	3.7
34	ESTEM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 839 students · Kindergarten–6th	839	Kindergarten–6th	3.6
35	MCDERMOTT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 262 students · Kindergarten–5th	262	Kindergarten–5th	3.6
36	TERRY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 337 students · Kindergarten–5th	337	Kindergarten–5th	3.2
37	M.L. KING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 382 students · Pre-K–5th	382	Pre-K–5th	3.1
38	STEPHENS ELEMENTARY 474 students · Pre-K–5th	474	Pre-K–5th	3.1
39	OTTER CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 402 students · Kindergarten–5th	402	Kindergarten–5th	2.5
Private Schools 9 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	THE HUDA ACADEMY Private 95 students · Pre-K–8th	95	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated
2	THE ANTHONY SCHOOL Private 278 students · Pre-K–8th	278	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated
3	ST THERESA CATHOLIC SCHOOL Private 199 students · Pre-K–8th	199	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated
4	CHRIST THE KING SCHOOL Private 544 students · Pre-K–8th	544	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated
5	BASELINE BILINGUAL SCHOOL Private 85 students · Kindergarten–3rd	85	Kindergarten–3rd	Not Rated
6	THE CHILDRENS HOUSE MONTESSORI SCHOOL Private 24 students · Pre-K–3rd	24	Pre-K–3rd	Not Rated
7	BINGHAM ROAD BAPTIST CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER Private 13 students · Pre-K–5th	13	Pre-K–5th	Not Rated
8	AGAPE ACADEMY Private 9 students · Pre-K–1st	9	Pre-K–1st	Not Rated
9	CHENAL VALLEY MONTESSORI SCHOOL Private 26 students · Pre-K–8th	26	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated

Middle Schools

12 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	JOE T. ROBINSON MIDDLE SCHOOL 543 students · 6th–8th	543	6th–8th	9.3
2	ESTEM EAST VILLAGE JUNIOR HIGH PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL 280 students · 7th–9th	280	7th–9th	8.4
3	ESTEM JUNIOR HIGH PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL 358 students · 7th–9th	358	7th–9th	7.6
4	PULASKI HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL 584 students · 6th–8th	584	6th–8th	7.6
5	MILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL 494 students · 6th–8th	494	6th–8th	6.8
6	PINNACLE VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL 817 students · 6th–8th	817	6th–8th	6.7
7	FRIENDSHIP ASPIRE ACADEMY LITTLE ROCK MIDDLE SCHOOL 57 students · 6th–8th	57	6th–8th	6.5
8	LISA ACADEMY WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL 486 students · 6th–8th	486	6th–8th	6.2
9	CLOVERDALE MIDDLE SCHOOL 655 students · 6th–8th	655	6th–8th	5.6
10	MANN MAGNET MIDDLE SCHOOL 641 students · 6th–8th	641	6th–8th	5.4
11	DUNBAR MAGNET MIDDLE SCHOOL 346 students · 6th–8th	346	6th–8th	5.2
12	ARK VIRTUAL ACADEMY MIDDLE SCH 1,050 students · 6th–8th	1,050	6th–8th	4.4

High Schools

16 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	ARK. SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND H.S. 37 students · 7th–12th	37	7th–12th	8.4
2	CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 2,260 students · 8th–12th	2,260	8th–12th	7.9
3	LISA ACADEMY WEST HIGH SCHOOL 386 students · 9th–12th	386	9th–12th	7.5
4	ESTEM HIGH SCHOOL 561 students · 10th–12th	561	10th–12th	7.3
5	PREMIER HIGH SCHOOL OF LITTLE ROCK 91 students · 9th–12th	91	9th–12th	7.3
6	PARKVIEW MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL 1,063 students · 9th–12th	1,063	9th–12th	7.3
7	LITTLE ROCK HALL STEAM MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL 305 students · 9th–12th	305	9th–12th	7.2
8	JOE T. ROBINSON HIGH SCHOOL 845 students · 9th–12th	845	9th–12th	7.2
9	LITTLE ROCK WEST HIGH SCHOOL OF INNOVATION 270 students · 9th–12th	270	9th–12th	7.0
10	ARKANSAS CONSOLIDATED HIGH SCHOOL-ALEXANDER 123 students · 6th–12th	123	6th–12th	6.4
11	MILLS UNIVERSITY STUDIES HIGH SCHOOL 671 students · 8th–12th	671	8th–12th	6.1
12	FOUNDERS CLASSICAL ACADEMIES OF AR WEST LITTLE ROCK 96 students · 7th–12th	96	7th–12th	5.7
13	GRADUATE ARKANSAS CHARTER HIGH 490 students · 9th–12th	490	9th–12th	3.5
14	PREMIER HIGH SCHOOL ONLINE 277 students · 9th–12th	277	9th–12th	—
Private Schools 2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	MT ST MARY ACADEMY Private 446 students · 9th–12th	446	9th–12th	Not Rated
2	CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOR BOYS Private 714 students · 9th–12th	714	9th–12th	Not Rated

Other Schools

13 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF 102 students · Kindergarten–12th	102	Kindergarten–12th	7.1
2	ROMINE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER 209 students · Pre-K–Pre-K	209	Pre-K–Pre-K	6.4
3	FAIR PARK EARLY CHILDHOOD CTR 193 students · Pre-K–Pre-K	193	Pre-K–Pre-K	6.0
4	GEYER SPRINGS EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER 263 students · Pre-K–Pre-K	263	Pre-K–Pre-K	5.9
5	DRIVEN VIRTUAL ACADEMY 218 students · Kindergarten–12th	218	Kindergarten–12th	4.5
6	LISA ACADEMY ARKANSAS HYBRID SCHOOL 251 students · Kindergarten–12th	251	Kindergarten–12th	2.1
7	THE EXCEL CENTER 181 students · 15–15	181	15–15	—
Private Schools 6 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	SOUTHWEST CHRISTIAN ACADEMY Private 188 students · Kindergarten–12th	188	Kindergarten–12th	Not Rated
2	LITTLE ROCK MONTESSORI SCHOOL Private 48 students · Pre-K–9th	48	Pre-K–9th	Not Rated
3	THE EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL Private 738 students · Pre-K–12th	738	Pre-K–12th	Not Rated
4	PINNACLE CLASSICAL ACADEMY Private 48 students · Pre-K–12th	48	Pre-K–12th	Not Rated
5	LITTLE ROCK CHRISTIAN ACADEMY Private 1,407 students · Pre-K–12th	1,407	Pre-K–12th	Not Rated
6	LITTLE ROCK ADVENTIST ACADEMY Private 22 students · Pre-K–10th	22	Pre-K–10th	Not Rated

Schools in Little Rock

Little Rock, Arkansas · 89 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 12 ZIP codes

Median Income

$73,920

Median Home Value

$247,517

Median Rent

$1,067/mo

Population

218,724

College Educated

49%

Homeownership

56%

Avg Commute

19 min

Poverty Rate

14.1%

Community Profile

Little Rock has a median household income of $73,920. It is a well-educated community where 49% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $247,517, with a median rent of $1,067/month. The area has a poverty rate of 14.1%. Residents enjoy a short average commute of 19 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Quick Facts

State: Arkansas
Total Schools: 89
Elementary: 48
Middle: 12
High: 16
Districts: 16
Avg Rating: 5.9/10

Resources

🔍 Google "Little Rock schools" 🏫 GreatSchools Little Rock 📊 Niche Little Rock Rankings 📍 Google Maps: Schools

School Districts (16)

SHERIDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT

7 schools · 4,321 students

ARK. SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

2 schools · 67 students

ARK. SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF

1 school · 102 students

LISA ACADEMY

11 schools · 4,015 students

DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES SCHOOL SYSTEM

5 schools · 239 students

ARKANSAS VIRTUAL ACADEMY

3 schools · 3,936 students

ESTEM PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL

5 schools · 2,739 students

GRADUATE ARKANSAS CHARTER

1 school · 490 students

PREMIER HIGH SCHOOLS OF ARKANSAS

4 schools · 534 students

FOUNDERS CLASSICAL ACADEMIES OF ARKANSAS

7 schools · 1,719 students

EXALT ACADEMY OF SOUTHWEST LITTLE ROCK

1 school · 749 students

THE EXCEL CENTER

2 schools · 222 students

SCHOLARMADE ACHIEVEMENT PLACE OF ARKANSAS

1 school · 346 students

FRIENDSHIP ASPIRE ACADEMIES ARKANSAS

7 schools · 1,307 students

LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT

39 schools · 21,105 students

PULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

26 schools · 12,290 students

Nearby Cities

Mabelvale (4 schools)

6 mi

North Little Rock (28 schools)

7 mi

Maumelle (8 schools)

9 mi

College Station (1 school)

7 mi

Sherwood (11 schools)

Mayflower (3 schools)

Jacksonville (10 schools)

Other Major Cities in Arkansas

Top metros statewide by school count.

Fort Smith 37 schools Springdale 32 schools Rogers 32 schools Bentonville 29 schools Jonesboro 27 schools

How We Rate Schools

Every school receives a composite score from 1 to 10 based on four pillars: Academic Performance (50%), Student Growth (20%), Equity (15%), and Learning Environment (15%). Scores are built from publicly available data including standardized test results, enrollment figures, and school climate indicators.

Read our full methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Little Rock, Arkansas

How many schools are in Little Rock, Arkansas?

Little Rock has 89 schools, including 72 public and 17 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Little Rock, Arkansas?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Little Rock is 5.9 out of 10, based on academic achievement, student growth, equity, and school environment.

What is the top-ranked school in Little Rock, Arkansas?

The top-ranked school in Little Rock on MySchoolScout is Joe T. Robinson Middle School with a composite score of 9.3/10.

What is the best elementary school in Little Rock, Arkansas?

The top-ranked elementary school in Little Rock on MySchoolScout is Baker Elementary School with a composite score of 9.1/10.

What is the best middle school in Little Rock, Arkansas?

The top-ranked middle school in Little Rock on MySchoolScout is Joe T. Robinson Middle School with a composite score of 9.3/10.

What is the best high school in Little Rock, Arkansas?

The top-ranked high school in Little Rock on MySchoolScout is Ark. School for the Blind H.s. with a composite score of 8.4/10.

How many school districts serve Little Rock, Arkansas?

Little Rock is served by 16 school districts: Sheridan School District, Ark. School for the Blind, Ark. School for the Deaf, Lisa Academy, Division of Youth Services School System, Arkansas Virtual Academy, Estem Public Charter School, Graduate Arkansas Charter, Premier High Schools of Arkansas, Founders Classical Academies of Arkansas, Exalt Academy of Southwest Little Rock, The Excel Center, Scholarmade Achievement Place of Arkansas, Friendship Aspire Academies Arkansas, Little Rock School District, Pulaski County Special School District.

What is the education level in Little Rock, Arkansas?

According to Census data, 49% of adults in Little Rock have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Little Rock, Arkansas?

The median household income in Little Rock is approximately $73,920 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Little Rock, Arkansas?

Yes, Little Rock has 17 private schools alongside 72 public schools. The top-rated private school is The Huda Academy with a score of 8.7/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Little Rock, Arkansas?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Little Rock is 14.3:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Little Rock, Arkansas?

MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score based on four components: Academic Achievement, Student Growth, Equity, and School Environment.

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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Arkansas Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.