DECATUR MIDDLE SCHOOL

DECATUR MIDDLE SCHOOL is a tiny middle-grades school in DECATUR, Arkansas, part of DECATUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. The school instructs 162 students in grades 5 through 8. That puts it 65% below the typical public school in Arkansas, which averages around 464 students.

DECATUR SCHOOL DISTRICT runs 3 schools in total, collectively educating 613 students. DECATUR MIDDLE SCHOOL is one of those campuses.

In terms of who attends, DECATUR MIDDLE SCHOOL logs that 43% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest reads as 42% White, 5% Pacific Islander, 4% Native American, 3% Asian. That is considerably more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 19%.

In terms of school funding signals, DECATUR MIDDLE SCHOOL records 14 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 11.7:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 13.9:1 average. Around 100% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, Benton County runs at roughly 37%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat above the surrounding baseline.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, DECATUR MIDDLE SCHOOL tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 22.3% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 16.1%.

In the area at large, Benton County reports that median household earnings sit near $93,506, roughly 38% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 5%. DECATUR MIDDLE SCHOOL is one of 88 public schools in Benton County (combined enrollment of about 57,071 students).

DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. Counting just inside five miles, 2 other public schools cluster around DECATUR MIDDLE SCHOOL. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts DECATUR MIDDLE SCHOOL at 7th of 7; the average score across the group is 34.4%.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 22%: 209 students in 2018 compared to 162 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 53% to 42% across the same window. Class-load math has narrowed: from 12.7:1 in 2018 to 11.7:1 in 2025.

On allk12, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.