Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 26 schools in district

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

4100 GARY ST, FORT SMITH, AR 72903FORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,956
Students
Total enrolled
95%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 10% vs nat'l
$15,628
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 9% vs nat'l
10.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 32% vs nat'l
45/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,956 students in grades 09–12 in FORT SMITH, Arkansas.
9% above average funding
District spends $15,628 per pupil, 9% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 45th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL is a very large high in FORT SMITH, Arkansas, serving grades 09–12 with 1,956 students. The district invests $15,628 per student — 9% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 10.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 47% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. The school's 95% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

1,956
Total Students
10.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
47%
Free Lunch
186
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution1,042 male · 914 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility47%
National avg 52% · 928 students
Student Composition
8%
57%
19%
10%
Asian8%
White57%
Hispanic / Latino19%
Black5%
Multiracial10%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 050633000373

Academic Outcomes at SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
95
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
95%
State avg
87%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
45
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 45th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 58th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 72903

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,628Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,628
State avg
$14,269
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,876
Student Support$2,969
Administration$1,875
Operations$2,344
Other$1,563
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,628 spent per student, an estimated $6,923 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
44%
35%
State government
44.3%
Local (property tax)
35.4%
Federal programs
20.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 95% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • 10.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
ELMER H. COOK ELEM. SCHOOLJOHN P. WOODS ELEM. SCHOOLSUTTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLSUNNYMEDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
+15 more
↓
Middle
DORA KIMMONS JR. HIGH SCHOOLRAMSEY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLL. A. CHAFFIN JR. HIGH SCHOOLWILLIAM O. DARBY JR. HIGH SCH.
↓
High School
NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOLBELLE POINT ALTERNATIVE CENTER
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountySebastian County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictFORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Phone: (479)646-7371
NCES ID: 050633000373
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in FORT SMITH seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in FORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT
High
NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL
2,433 students · 09–12
● 31 opp74% FRL
Mid
DORA KIMMONS JR. HIGH SCHOOL
841 students · 06–08
● 35 opp91% FRL
Mid
RAMSEY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
832 students · 06–08
● 31 opp67% FRL
Mid
L. A. CHAFFIN JR. HIGH SCHOOL
725 students · 06–08
● 45 opp54% FRL
Mid
WILLIAM O. DARBY JR. HIGH SCH.
700 students · 06–08
● 31 opp87% FRL
Elem
ELMER H. COOK ELEM. SCHOOL
500 students · PK–05
56% FRL
Elem
JOHN P. WOODS ELEM. SCHOOL
487 students · PK–05
● 45 opp43% FRL
Elem
SUTTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
470 students · PK–05
● 35 opp91% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
4100 GARY ST, FORT SMITH, AR 72903
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.