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Public elementary school · Helena / West Helena School District · Helena, Arkansas

J.f. Wahl Elementary School

J.f. Wahl Elementary School rates 5.1, right at the middle of Helena / West Helena School District's elementary schools, whose rated median is 5.1.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
5.1this school

5.1 on a one-to-ten scale; the Helena / West Helena School District median is 5.1.

#831 of 1,041 schools in Arkansas · Helena / West Helena School District: 1 elementary schools rated, median 5.1

The brief

A Helena / West Helena School District elementary school where students score 14 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 831 of 1,041 schools in Arkansas and 2 of 2 in Helena / West Helena School District.

J.f. Wahl Elementary School is listed in Helena / West Helena School District, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math11%29 points below the Arkansas average of 40%Grades 3–6 · 292 students tested · 2025 ATLAS
Reading14%23 points below the Arkansas average of 37%Grades 3–6 · 291 students tested · 2025 ATLAS
Proficiency has held near 13% across the 2-year record (2024–2025).2025 ATLAS; 36 test records from AR state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
5.6
50% of the rating
Academics
2.8
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
7.1
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 14% (multi-year average, 2017-2025) · reading/ELA 17% (multi-year average, 2017-2025).

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)
State assessments · 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 72342; 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, 2017-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
J.f. Wahl Elementary School and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$39,191
Median home value
$99,000
Median rent
$655/mo
College educated
16.7%
Homeownership
37.2%
Poverty rate
24.8%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 72342; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
20
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
10
Somewhat Bikeable

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
100%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 6.5Compare →
  2. J.f. Wahl Elementary Schoolthis school
    5.1
One grade-compatible school using the same rating model sits within 5 miles, and one rates higher than J.f. Wahl Elementary School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does J.f. Wahl Elementary School serve?

J.f. Wahl Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 6th.

How many students attend J.f. Wahl Elementary School?

J.f. Wahl Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 541 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at J.f. Wahl Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at J.f. Wahl Elementary School is 15.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does J.f. Wahl Elementary School rank in AR?

J.f. Wahl Elementary School ranks #831 of 1,041 schools in AR.

What is J.f. Wahl Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

J.f. Wahl Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.1 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 J.f. Wahl Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, J.f. Wahl Elementary School has 14% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2025) and 17% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2025).

Is J.f. Wahl Elementary School a charter school?

No, J.f. Wahl Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is J.f. Wahl Elementary School a Title I school?

No, J.f. Wahl Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for J.f. Wahl Elementary School?

100.0% of students at J.f. Wahl Elementary 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 facts

Grades
Pre-K – 6th
Enrollment
541
Student-teacher ratio
15.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
35
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Phillips County
Rank in district
#2 of 2
Schools in district
2
District spending per student
$14,610
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
66.5%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 72342)
3,971
Area median age
47

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

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.