Education
Grade 3 Reading
Source: Arkansas Department of Education
Grade 3 Reading Proficiency
2023
Alma School District29%
Alpena School District38%
Arkadelphia School District31%
Armorel School District33%
Ashdown School District27%
Atkins Public Schools21%
Augusta School District21%
Bald Knob School District21%
Barton-Lexa School District36%
Batesville School District30%
Bauxite School District35%
Bay School District40%
Bearden School District12%
Beebe School District35%
Benton School District37%
Bentonville Public Schools49%
Bergman School District50%
Berryville Public Schools24%
Bismarck Public Schools41%
Blevins School District12%
Blytheville School District12%
Booneville School District22%
Bradford School District14%
Brinkley School District9%
Brookland School District31%
Bryant Public Schools39%
Buffalo Island Central School District48%
Cabot Public Schools43%
Caddo Hills School District26%
Calico Rock School District30%
Camden Fairview School District18%
Carlisle School District25%
Cave City School District43%
Cedar Ridge School District41%
Cedarville School District25%
Centerpoint School District41%
Charleston School District30%
Clarendon School District6%
Clarksville School District27%
Cleveland County School District33%
Clinton School District42%
Concord Public Schools25%
Conway Public Schools42%
Corning Public Schools34%
Cossatot River School District32%
Cotter School District56%
County Line School District33%
Cross County School District31%
Crossett School District22%
Cutter-Morning Star School District29%
Danville School District45%
Dardanelle Public Schools23%
De Queen School District41%
Decatur School District6%
Deer/Mount Judea School District33%
Dermott School District7%
Des Arc Public Schools37%
DeWitt School District46%
Dierks School District28%
Dover School District37%
Drew Central School District27%
Dumas School District14%
Earle School District5%
East End School District23%
East Poinsett County School District39%
El Dorado School District39%
Elkins School District34%
Emerson-Taylor School District43%
England School District33%
Eureka Springs School District38%
Farmington School District41%
Fayetteville School District45%
Flippin School District29%
Fordyce School District23%
Foreman School District36%
Forrest City School District7%
Fort Smith Public Schools29%
Fouke School District32%
Fountain Lake School District22%
Genoa Central School District54%
Gentry Public Schools34%
Glen Rose School District41%
Gosnell School District40%
Gravette School District39%
Green Forest School District34%
Greenbrier School District45%
Greene County Technical School District38%
Greenland Public Schools35%
Greenwood School District47%
Gurdon School District22%
Guy-Perkins Schools36%
Hackett Public Schools23%
Hamburg School District27%
Hampton School District32%
Harmony Grove School District29%
Harrisburg School District33%
Harrison School District38%
Hazen School District40%
Heber Springs School District44%
Hector School District27%
Helena-West Helena School District12%
Hermitage School District37%
Highland School District36%
Hillcrest School District38%
Hope School District23%
Horatio School District48%
Hot Springs School District16%
Hoxie School District16%
Huntsville School District21%
Izard Cty Consolidated Schools31%
Jackson County School District36%
Jasper School District37%
Jessieville School District58%
Jonesboro Public Schools21%
Junction City School District37%
Kirby School District33%
Lafayette County School District9%
Lake Hamilton School District45%
Lakeside School District45%
Lamar School District24%
Lavaca Public Schools32%
Lawrence County School District24%
Lead Hill School District17%
Lee County School District11%
Lincoln School District23%
Little Rock School District27%
Lonoke School District31%
Magazine Schools19%
Magnet Cove School District26%
Magnolia School District24%
Malvern Special School District17%
Mammoth Spring Schools31%
Manila School District28%
Mansfield School District27%
Marion School District24%
Marked Tree School District11%
Marmaduke School District44%
Marvell School District6%
Mayflower School District38%
Maynard School District11%
McCrory School District26%
McGehee School District34%
Melbourne School District47%
Mena Public Schools27%
Midland School District26%
Mineral Springs School District14%
Monticello School District36%
Mount Ida School District43%
Mount Vernon-Enola School District29%
Mountain Home School District37%
Mountain Pine School District20%
Mountain View School District37%
Mountainburg Schools22%
Mulberry School District32%
Murfreesboro School District51%
Nashville School District23%
Nemo Vista School District51%
Nettleton School District23%
Nevada School District18%
Newport School District13%
Norfork Schools33%
North Little Rock School District22%
Omaha School District31%
Osceola School District11%
Ouachita River School District32%
Ouachita School District38%
Ozark Mountain School District16%
Ozark School District43%
Palestine-Wheatley School District33%
Pangburn School District26%
Paragould School District34%
Paris School District32%
Parkers Chapel School District37%
Pea Ridge School District44%
Perryville School District32%
Piggott School District27%
Pine Bluff School District12%
Pocahontas School District26%
Pottsville Public Schools57%
Poyen School District39%
Prairie Grove School District31%
Prescott School District17%
Pulaski County Special School District33%
Quitman School District38%
Rector School District22%
Riverside School District50%
Riverview School District23%
Rogers Public Schools41%
Rose Bud School District30%
Russellville Schools41%
Salem School District33%
Scranton School District51%
Searcy County School District46%
Searcy School District37%
Sheridan School District31%
Shirley School District15%
Siloam Springs Schools29%
Sloan-Hendrix School District28%
Smackover School District32%
South Conway County School District28%
South Mississippi County School District24%
South Side-Bee Branch School District25%
Southside School District46%
Spring Hill School District36%
Springdale School District27%
Star City School District22%
Strong School District12%
Stuttgart School District24%
Texarkana School District20%
Trumann Schools14%
Two Rivers School District10%
Valley Springs School District46%
Valley View School District49%
Van Buren School District28%
Vilonia School District50%
Viola School District43%
Waldron School District25%
Warren School District22%
Watson Chapel School District9%
West Fork School District28%
West Memphis School District10%
West Side School District43%
Western Yell County School District47%
Westside Consolidated School District33%
Westside School District32%
White County Central School District41%
White Hall School District37%
Wonderview School District33%
Woodlawn School District17%
Wynne Public Schools41%
Yellville-Summit School District27%

Source: Arkansas Department of Education




Number of Students Proficient in Grade 3 Reading
2023
Alma School District73
Alpena School District11
Arkadelphia School District44
Armorel School District8
Ashdown School District28
Atkins Public Schools13
Augusta School District4
Bald Knob School District18
Barton-Lexa School District16
Batesville School District74
Bauxite School District40
Bay School District19
Bearden School District5
Beebe School District86
Benton School District158
Bentonville Public Schools704
Bergman School District47
Berryville Public Schools34
Bismarck Public Schools36
Blevins School District4
Blytheville School District15
Booneville School District20
Bradford School District5
Brinkley School District3
Brookland School District69
Bryant Public Schools305
Buffalo Island Central School District24
Cabot Public Schools333
Caddo Hills School District10
Calico Rock School District9
Camden Fairview School District25
Carlisle School District13
Cave City School District33
Cedar Ridge School District16
Cedarville School District14
Centerpoint School District28
Charleston School District19
Clarendon School District2
Clarksville School District54
Cleveland County School District15
Clinton School District32
Concord Public Schools7
Conway Public Schools325
Corning Public Schools23
Cossatot River School District22
Cotter School District25
County Line School District12
Cross County School District16
Crossett School District23
Cutter-Morning Star School District11
Danville School District28
Dardanelle Public Schools33
De Queen School District77
Decatur School District3
Deer/Mount Judea School District7
Dermott School District2
Des Arc Public Schools15
DeWitt School District26
Dierks School District12
Dover School District35
Drew Central School District27
Dumas School District8
Earle School District2
East End School District7
East Poinsett County School District13
El Dorado School District108
Elkins School District29
Emerson-Taylor School District39
England School District15
Eureka Springs School District17
Farmington School District81
Fayetteville School District381
Flippin School District19
Fordyce School District9
Foreman School District10
Forrest City School District9
Fort Smith Public Schools306
Fouke School District28
Fountain Lake School District20
Genoa Central School District49
Gentry Public Schools45
Glen Rose School District26
Gosnell School District33
Gravette School District62
Green Forest School District32
Greenbrier School District126
Greene County Technical School District92
Greenland Public Schools15
Greenwood School District140
Gurdon School District10
Guy-Perkins Schools9
Hackett Public Schools14
Hamburg School District29
Hampton School District9
Harmony Grove School District25
Harrisburg School District29
Harrison School District74
Hazen School District16
Heber Springs School District45
Hector School District13
Helena-West Helena School District9
Hermitage School District10
Highland School District44
Hillcrest School District12
Hope School District35
Horatio School District20
Hot Springs School District45
Hoxie School District8
Huntsville School District38
Izard Cty Consolidated Schools15
Jackson County School District20
Jasper School District23
Jessieville School District26
Jonesboro Public Schools101
Junction City School District17
Kirby School District14
Lafayette County School District4
Lake Hamilton School District128
Lakeside School District103
Lamar School District21
Lavaca Public Schools21
Lawrence County School District17
Lead Hill School District4
Lee County School District4
Lincoln School District20
Little Rock School District425
Lonoke School District34
Magazine Schools5
Magnet Cove School District12
Magnolia School District41
Malvern Special School District22
Mammoth Spring Schools11
Manila School District19
Mansfield School District17
Marion School District70
Marked Tree School District4
Marmaduke School District22
Marvell School District1
Mayflower School District24
Maynard School District5
McCrory School District11
McGehee School District22
Melbourne School District27
Mena Public Schools43
Midland School District8
Mineral Springs School District4
Monticello School District41
Mount Ida School District12
Mount Vernon-Enola School District11
Mountain Home School District104
Mountain Pine School District8
Mountain View School District43
Mountainburg Schools9
Mulberry School District10
Murfreesboro School District24
Nashville School District33
Nemo Vista School District21
Nettleton School District68
Nevada School District5
Newport School District11
Norfork Schools9
North Little Rock School District128
Omaha School District10
Osceola School District8
Ouachita River School District19
Ouachita School District12
Ozark Mountain School District8
Ozark School District50
Palestine-Wheatley School District18
Pangburn School District13
Paragould School District74
Paris School District20
Parkers Chapel School District22
Pea Ridge School District81
Perryville School District21
Piggott School District15
Pine Bluff School District24
Pocahontas School District34
Pottsville Public Schools74
Poyen School District13
Prairie Grove School District45
Prescott School District10
Pulaski County Special School District270
Quitman School District22
Rector School District11
Riverside School District23
Riverview School District18
Rogers Public Schools460
Rose Bud School District14
Russellville Schools163
Salem School District21
Scranton School District18
Searcy County School District25
Searcy School District111
Sheridan School District94
Shirley School District4
Siloam Springs Schools100
Sloan-Hendrix School District12
Smackover School District28
South Conway County School District49
South Mississippi County School District20
South Side-Bee Branch School District8
Southside School District66
Spring Hill School District14
Springdale School District444
Star City School District22
Strong School District3
Stuttgart School District25
Texarkana School District57
Trumann Schools16
Two Rivers School District5
Valley Springs School District29
Valley View School District109
Van Buren School District124
Vilonia School District100
Viola School District9
Waldron School District22
Warren School District21
Watson Chapel School District11
West Fork School District18
West Memphis School District39
West Side School District13
Western Yell County School District7
Westside Consolidated School District43
Westside School District11
White County Central School District29
White Hall School District82
Wonderview School District10
Woodlawn School District7
Wynne Public Schools71
Yellville-Summit School District17

Source: Arkansas Department of Education



STATE TREND

Decreasing


32%

2023
1% = 353
Students

What does this measure?

The percentage of students scoring as proficient ("Ready" or "Exceeding") on the ACT Aspire 3rd grade reading exam.

Why is this important?

Early literacy skills are critical to a successful school experience. Third grade is considered an important milestone in a student's career in terms of reading proficiency and is correlated to whether a student will graduate high school.

How is Arkansas doing?

In 2023, 32% of 3rd graders were proficient on the state exam, 6 points below the level in 2019, prior to the Covid pandemic. Females slightly outperformed males, with 34% of females achieving proficiency, compared to 31% of males. Economically disadvantaged students had a lower proficiency rate at 24%.

In addition, there were racial and ethnic disparities in proficiency, with 18% of Black/African American students, 24% of Hispanic or Latino students, 39% of white students and 50% of Asian students achieving proficiency in 2023. All rates were lower than in 2022.

Jessieville School District had the highest proficiency rate at 58%, while a few districts had rates in the single digits. In Springdale and Little Rock, the state's two largest districts, 27% of 3rd graders were proficient.

What contributes to racial and ethnic disparities?

Studies point to a variety of factors believed to contribute to disparities in test scores and other measures of student achievement. School systems in the United States are highly segregated, and students of color disproportionately attend schools with high proportions of low-income students who may not have benefited from early learning opportunities at the same rate as other students. Schools also have different levels of resources ranging from qualified/experienced teachers to advanced courses to facilities and technology, and schools with large Black and Latino populations often have lower levels. In addition, teachers across all school systems tend to be disproportionately white, and teaching practices and curriculum may not be culturally relevant to students of color.

Notes about the data

As assessments vary among states, it is not possible to include comparable data for the nation or other areas in this indicator. Economically disadvantaged students are those who are eligible to receive free or reduced price lunches. Results for prior years are not comparable as the state adjusted the test.




Source: Arkansas Department of Education


Grade 3 Reading Proficiency
201620172018201920222023
Arkansas35%37%38%38%35%32%

Source: Arkansas Department of Education






Source: Arkansas Department of Education


Grade 3 Reading Proficiency by Gender
FemaleMale
Arkansas34%31%

Source: Arkansas Department of Education





Source: Arkansas Department of Education


Grade 3 Reading Proficiency by Student Subgroup
Economically Disadvantaged StudentsEnglish Language LearnersGifted StudentsHomelessMigrant StudentsParent in MilitarySection 504Students with Disabilities
Arkansas24%11%82%18%16%42%21%10%

Source: Arkansas Department of Education









INDICATORS TREND | STATE
Education: Access to Quality Slots for Infants and Toddlers Not Applicable
Education: Access to Quality Child Care Slots for Preschoolers Not Applicable
Education: Grade 3 Reading Decreasing
Education: Grade 8 Math Maintaining
Education: Graduation Rate Increasing
Education: Remediation Rate Maintaining
Education: Adults with a High School Degree Increasing
Education: Adults with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher Increasing
Education: Adults Pursuing Further Education Decreasing
Education: Imagination Libraries Increasing
Health: Low Birth Weight Babies Not Applicable
Health: Early Prenatal Care Increasing
Health: Overweight or Obese Students Increasing
Health: Overweight or Obese Adults Increasing
Health: Physically Inactive Adults Maintaining
Health: Smoking Rate Decreasing
Health: Insurance Coverage Rates Increasing
Health: Oral Health Increasing
Health: Life Expectancy Decreasing
Health: Routine Check-ups Increasing
Health: Overdose Deaths Increasing
Families: Teen Births Decreasing
Families: Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Families: People Living in Poverty Maintaining
Families: Elderly Living in Poverty Maintaining
Families: Median Household Income Maintaining
Families: Unemployment Rate Decreasing
Families: Homeownership Rate Decreasing
Families: Child Abuse and Neglect Decreasing
Families: Access to Financial Services Decreasing
Families: Food Insecurity Decreasing
Families: Food Deserts Not Applicable
Families: Homelessness Decreasing
Families: Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Families: Cost of Homeownership Maintaining
Families: Households Below ALICE Threshold Not Applicable
Families: Overall Housing Cost Burden Decreasing
Families: Child Care Costs for Toddlers Not Applicable
Families: Medical Debt Not Applicable
Families: Households Receiving SNAP Decreasing
Families: Incarceration Rate Increasing
Community: Voter Participation Rate Decreasing
Community: Charitable Giving Increasing
Community: Volunteering Increasing
Community: Group Participation Increasing
Community: Connection to Neighbors Decreasing
Community: Local Voting Not Applicable
Demographics: Change in Population Increasing
Demographics: Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Demographics: Change in Population by Age Not Applicable
Racial Equity: Remediation Rate Maintaining
Racial Equity: Adults with a High School Degree Increasing
Racial Equity: Adults with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher Increasing
Racial Equity: Adults Pursuing Further Education Decreasing
Racial Equity: Low Birth Weight Babies Not Applicable
Racial Equity: Early Prenatal Care Increasing
Racial Equity: Overweight or Obese Students Increasing
Racial Equity: Overweight or Obese Adults Increasing
Racial Equity: Physically Inactive Adults Maintaining
Racial Equity: Smoking Rate Decreasing
Racial Equity: Insurance Coverage Rates Increasing
Racial Equity: Oral Health Increasing
Racial Equity: Life Expectancy Decreasing
Racial Equity: Routine Check-ups Increasing
Racial Equity: Teen Births Decreasing
Racial Equity: Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Racial Equity: People Living in Poverty Maintaining
Racial Equity: Elderly Living in Poverty Maintaining
Racial Equity: Median Household Income Maintaining
Racial Equity: Unemployment Rate Decreasing
Racial Equity: Homeownership Rate Decreasing
Racial Equity: Child Abuse and Neglect Decreasing
Racial Equity: Food Insecurity Decreasing
Racial Equity: Homelessness Decreasing
Racial Equity: Cost of Homeownership Maintaining
Racial Equity: Medical Debt Not Applicable
Racial Equity: Households Receiving SNAP Decreasing
Racial Equity: Incarceration Rate Increasing
Racial Equity: Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable








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