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Very Good

#326 of 1,036 schools in AR

Top 31% in state

Decatur Middle School

Middle School · Decatur School District · Decatur, AR

A middle school in Decatur, AR where students score 5 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1498 STADIUM AVE, Decatur, AR 72722

  • Math 14% vs AR 39% (2025)
  • Reading 22% vs AR 35% (2025)
  • 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.8Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data10
Annual Change+0.31 pts/yr
Data Period2014–2025
TrendStable
Academics4.3Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency14.2% (2025 ATLAS)
Reading/ELA Proficiency21.7% (2025 ATLAS)
Math vs. State Avg-23.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-15 pts
Overall Proficiency18% (2025 ATLAS, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)23% (model expectation from 2025 ATLAS)
vs. Expected-5.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile24th
Resources & Environment7.2Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.1:1
District spending per student$12,528
Chronic Absenteeism32.7%

Students at Decatur Middle School score 18% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 23%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ATLAS proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. AR average.

Math Proficiency14%(2025 ATLAS)
School
State
39%(2025 ATLAS)
ELA Proficiency22%(2025 ATLAS)
School
State
35%(2025 ATLAS)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 14 points since 2020, to 18% in 2025, across a 12-year record (2014–2025).

Show all 10 years
2014
Math
8%
ELA
12%
2015
Math
17%
ELA
32%
2016
Math
27%
ELA
37%
2017
Math
17%
ELA
17%
2018
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2019
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2020*
Math
27%
ELA
37%
2021*
Math
27%
ELA
37%
2022
Math
17%
ELA
32%
2025
Math
14%
ELA
22%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 19% (multi-year average, 2014-2025) · reading/ELA 27% (multi-year average, 2014-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 30 test records from AR state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

100%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Decatur Middle School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 17Car-Dependent
  • Bike 22Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,875/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Decatur), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$52,333

Median home value

$178,200

Median rent

$788/mo

College educated

18.5%

Homeownership

60.8%

Poverty rate

21.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 72722; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

0 from verified nearby records

No verified same-level alternatives

The available nearby set has no same-level school with a verified grade span.

Decatur School District

Schools in district
3
Rank in district
#2 of 3
District spending per student
$12,528NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
12.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Decatur Middle School is listed in DECATUR SCHOOL DISTRICT; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Decatur Middle School

Decatur Middle School is a public middle school in Decatur, AR, part of Decatur School District, serving approximately 156 students in grades 5th-8th with a 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.2 out of 10 and ranks #326 of 1,036 schools in AR. State assessment records show 19% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2014-2025) and 27% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2014-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Decatur Middle School

What grades does Decatur Middle School serve?

Decatur Middle School serves students in grades 5th through 8th.

How many students attend Decatur Middle School?

Decatur Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 156 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Decatur Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Decatur Middle School is 11.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Decatur Middle School rank in AR?

Decatur Middle School ranks #326 of 1,036 schools in AR.

What is Decatur Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Decatur Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Decatur Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Decatur Middle School has 19% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2014-2025) and 27% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2014-2025).

Is Decatur Middle School a charter school?

No, Decatur Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Decatur Middle School a Title I school?

No, Decatur Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Decatur Middle School?

100.0% of students at Decatur Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
5th – 8th
Enrollment
156
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
14
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Benton County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
32.7%
Area population (ZIP 72722)
2,920
Area average commute
26.3 min
Area median age
36.8
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 ATLAS · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 ATLAS. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 ATLAS · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 ATLAS. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 72722; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2014-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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