Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 5 schools in district

NELSON WILKS HERRON ELEMENTARY

618 N COLLEGE ST, MOUNTAIN HOME, AR 72653MOUNTAIN HOME SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 01–02Non-Charter
552
Students
Total enrolled
$11,323
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 21% vs nat'l
16.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 6% vs nat'l
41/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 19% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 552 students in grades 01–02 in MOUNTAIN HOME, Arkansas.
21% below average funding
District spends $11,323 per pupil, 21% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 41th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

NELSON WILKS HERRON ELEMENTARY is a large elementary in MOUNTAIN HOME, Arkansas, serving grades 01–02 with 552 students. The district invests $11,323 per student — 21% below the national average of $14,347, with a 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 49% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at NELSON WILKS HERRON ELEMENTARY

552
Total Students
16.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
49%
Free Lunch
34
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (01–02) are served by this school
Gender Distribution276 male · 276 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility49%
National avg 52% · 271 students
Student Composition
92%
Asian1%
White92%
Hispanic / Latino3%
Black1%
Multiracial3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 050004300740

Academic Outcomes at NELSON WILKS HERRON ELEMENTARY

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
41
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 41th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 33th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 72653

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,323Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,323
State avg
$14,269
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,982
Student Support$2,151
Administration$1,359
Operations$1,698
Other$1,132
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,323 spent per student, an estimated $5,016 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
35%
46%
State government
34.8%
Local (property tax)
45.9%
Federal programs
19.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $11,323/student, 21% less than the national average
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
HACKLER INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLMOUNTAIN HOME KINDERGARTEN
↓
Middle
PINKSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
↓
High School
MTN HOME HIGH CAREER ACADEMICS
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
Grades01 – 02
Location—
CountyBaxter County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictMOUNTAIN HOME SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Phone: (870)425-1251
NCES ID: 050004300740
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in MOUNTAIN HOME seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in MOUNTAIN HOME SCHOOL DISTRICT
High
MTN HOME HIGH CAREER ACADEMICS
1,518 students · 08–12
● 41 opp38% FRL
Elem
HACKLER INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
830 students · 03–05
● 41 opp46% FRL
Mid
PINKSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
624 students · 06–07
● 41 opp46% FRL
Elem
MOUNTAIN HOME KINDERGARTEN
337 students · PK–KG
● 41 opp54% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
618 N COLLEGE ST, MOUNTAIN HOME, AR 72653
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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.