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#456 of 1,036 schools in AR

Top 44% in state

Northside High School

High School · Fort Smith School District · Fort Smith, AR

A Fort Smith School District high school where students score 12 points below what's typical for similar communities.

2301 NORTH B ST, Fort Smith, AR 72901

  • Math 18% vs AR 20% (2025)
  • Reading 23% vs AR 33% (2025)
  • 91.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress8.0Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.58 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics3.9Needs Improvement25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency17.9% (2025 ATLAS)
Reading/ELA Proficiency22.8% (2025 ATLAS)
Math vs. State Avg-9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-8.4 pts
Overall Proficiency20% (2025 ATLAS, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)32% (model expectation from 2025 ATLAS)
vs. Expected-11.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile20th
College Readiness7.9Very Good30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate91%
AP Participation19.7%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment6.8Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.2:1
District spending per student$12,459
Chronic Absenteeism33.7%

Students at Northside High School score 20% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 32%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ATLAS proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. AR average.

Math Proficiency18%(2025 ATLAS)
School
State
20%(2025 ATLAS)
ELA Proficiency23%(2025 ATLAS)
School
State
33%(2025 ATLAS)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 32 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 20% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
54%
ELA
50%
2010
Math
57%
ELA
49%
2011
Math
58%
ELA
48%
2012
Math
57%
ELA
61%
2013
Math
56%
ELA
60%
2014
Math
9%
ELA
29%
2015
Math
13%
ELA
35%
2016
Math
18%
ELA
39%
2017
Math
22%
ELA
34%
2018
Math
22%
ELA
35%
2019
Math
22%
ELA
35%
2020*
Math
12%
ELA
27%
2021*
Math
12%
ELA
27%
2022
Math
19%
ELA
27%
2025
Math
18%
ELA
23%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 29% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 38% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

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

Based on 35 test records from AR state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

75.3%

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 Northside High 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 76Very Walkable
  • Bike 52Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,538/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Fort Smith), 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

$42,568

Median home value

$113,200

Median rent

$837/mo

College educated

21.1%

Homeownership

44.7%

Poverty rate

23.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 72901; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs1AP course offered
19.7% participation·State avg: 2.5 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics14sports offered
7 boys'·7 girls'·34 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses4of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
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

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Belle Point Alternative CenterEnrollment path unverified5.16–120.7 mi73Compare →
Premier High School of Fort SmithCharter · enrollment unverifiedNot rated9–120.9 mi98Compare →
Future School of Fort SmithCharter · enrollment unverified6.69–121.1 mi219Compare →
Fort Smith Virtual AcademyCharter · enrollment unverifiedNot ratedK–12Not available133Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

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

Fort Smith School District

Schools in district
27
Rank in district
#10 of 26
District spending per student
$12,459NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Northside High School is listed in FORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Northside High School

Northside High School is a public high school in Fort Smith, AR, part of Fort Smith School District, serving approximately 2,253 students in grades 9th-12th with a 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 out of 10 and ranks #456 of 1,036 schools in AR. State assessment records show 29% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Northside High School

What grades does Northside High School serve?

Northside High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Northside High School?

Northside High School has an enrollment of approximately 2,253 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Northside High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Northside High School is 12.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Northside High School rank in AR?

Northside High School ranks #456 of 1,036 schools in AR.

What is Northside High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Northside High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 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 Northside High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Northside High School has 29% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Northside High School a charter school?

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

Is Northside High School a Title I school?

No, Northside High School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Northside High School?

75.3% of students at Northside High 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
9th – 12th
Enrollment
2,253
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
185
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Sebastian County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
33.7%
4-Year Graduation
91.0%
Area population (ZIP 72901)
19,966
Area average commute
16.8 min
Area median age
36.3
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 72901; 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, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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