1
How has J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL changed in the last five years, for better or worse?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
663
Middle
DISTRICT 714 · STATE 464
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·SPRINGDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT·NCES 051266000233
J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL
1879 EAST ROBINSON AVENUE, SPRINGDALE, AR 72765 · (479) 750-8730 · Washington County
GRADES 06–07MIDDLE13-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL663 STUDENTS
D
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 12% of Arkansas public middle schools
- DTest scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- C-Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- ·Three-year trend Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Arkansas public middle schools
Student : Teacher
13.4:1
50 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 14.4:1 · STATE 13.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
94%
624 students
DISTRICT 74% · STATE 70%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other middle schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 316 | 48% |
| Grade 7 | 347 | 52% |
Student demographics
47%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 64% · STATE 61% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
ATLAS 2024-25 . % Proficient (Level 3+4)English Language Arts
19.6%
AR avg 34.9% . +2.0pp since 2023
Math
27.0%
AR avg 38.9% . +5.9pp since 2023
What this means: On the ATLAS, Arkansas's statewide test, about 20 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 27 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Arkansas schools, those numbers are about 35 and 39. Reading and writing scores are up about 2 points since 2023, while math scores are up about 6 points.
ATLAS results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 19.6% | 27.0% |
| 2023-24 | 17.6% | 21.1% |
% Proficient (Level 3+4), all students and all tested grades.
Source: ATLAS. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
20.0%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
24.8%
based on AR schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-4.9pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 20% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 25% typical for Arkansas schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Arkansas's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL
J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL's state test result (20.0% proficient) is higher than 0 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL this school | 663 | 94.1% | 20.0% |
| HELEN TYSON MIDDLE SCHOOL SPRINGDALE | 676 | 83.6% | 29.3% |
| DORA KIMMONS MIDDLE SCHOOL FORT SMITH | 753 | 93.5% | 23.2% |
| SONORA MIDDLE SCHOOL SPRINGDALE | 668 | 86.1% | 26.7% |
| WILLIAM O. DARBY MIDDLE SCHOOL FORT SMITH | 711 | 82.8% | 27.1% |
| DEQUEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL DE QUEEN | 354 | 77.7% | 39.2% |
Matched among Arkansas middle schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL ranks
Among middle schools| Measure | This school | In Arkansas | In Washington County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 20.0% | #183 of 207 | #17 of 17 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 27.0% | #160 of 208 ▲ 9 | #17 of 17 no change |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 19.6% | #177 of 208 ▲ 14 | #17 of 17 no change |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 663 | #49 of 217 | #8 of 18 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.4:1 | #75 of 188 | #6 of 17 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 47.3% | #90 of 188 | #7 of 17 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 94.1% | #55 of 210 | #2 of 17 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -18.3% | #36 of 114 | #3 of 8 |
Ranked against other public middle schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
663
+21 (+3%) vs 2020
-17% since 2000-01, when it was 795
Student : Teacher
13.4:1
was 10.5:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 663 | 49.6 | 13.4:1 | 94% (624) |
| 2023-24 | 641 | 50.7 | 12.7:1 | 95% (610) |
| 2022-23 | 564 | 55.2 | 10.2:1 | 92% (519) |
| 2020-21 | 642 | 61 | 10.5:1 | 92% (590) |
| 2017-18 | 812 | 62.7 | 12.9:1 | 59% (476) |
| 2015-16 | 769 | 61 | 12.6:1 | 87% (672) |
| 2010-11 | 1,057 | 65 | 16.3:1 | 77% (811) |
| 2000-01 | 795 | 47 | 16.9:1 | 53% (418) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
About J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL
J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL is a medium-sized middle school in SPRINGDALE, Arkansas, one of the schools in SPRINGDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT. A federal count lists 663 students at the school, in grades 6 through 7. The average among middle schools in Arkansas is roughly 464 students; this school is 43% above that.
SPRINGDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT oversees J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL and 28 other schools, with 22,685 students in total.
At J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL, Hispanic students make up 70% of the student body. It is also 19% Pacific Islander and 8% White. For comparison, the population of Washington County is roughly 19% Hispanic. J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL's diversity index is 47%, against a US figure of 70%.
Teacher staffing is 49.6 full-time equivalents, or about 13.4 students per teacher. That matches the 13.9:1 average for middle schools in Arkansas fairly closely. Eligibility for subsidized school meals is 94%. Among public schools in Washington County, the average eligibility rate is 58%.
allk12 grades J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL a D. The grade compares the school only with Arkansas public middle schools, because each state gives its own test.
J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL is 4.9 points below its predicted average proficiency rate on state tests (20.0% versus 24.8%), which places it in neither the top nor the bottom 10% in Arkansas.
Washington County census figures show that the median household income is $70,639, roughly 35% of adults have a four-year degree or more, and about 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. There are 76 public schools in Washington County, enrolling about 42,451 students in all.
The closest public school to J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL is LINDA CHILDERS KNAPP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, about 0.2 miles away. Counting only straight-line distance, at least 8 other public schools are within five miles. In a group of 8 nearby schools with scores, J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL ranks 6th on average proficiency.
The federal government classifies J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL's location as City: Small.
Federal data show a 3% enrollment increase, from 642 in 2020-21 to 663 in 2024-25. The student-to-teacher ratio went up from 10.5:1 to 13.4:1.
To ask about school events, clubs, and volunteer needs, start a discussion on this page. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.
Washington County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
256,765
Census ACS
Median income
$70,639
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
35%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
9%
Below federal line
Schools in county
76
42,451 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in SPRINGDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT
- HAR-BER HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,271 students
- SPRINGDALE HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,207 students
- DON TYSON SCHOOL OF INNOVATIONCombined · 1,976 students
- HUNT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 890 students
- CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 852 students
- HELLSTERN MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 849 students
Other schools in SPRINGDALE
- HAR-BER HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,271 students
- SPRINGDALE HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,207 students
- DON TYSON SCHOOL OF INNOVATIONCombined · 1,976 students
- HUNT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 890 students
- CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 852 students
- HELLSTERN MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 849 students
Nearby schools
- LINDA CHILDERS KNAPP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL0.2 mi · 607
- THE EXCEL CENTER - SPRINGDALE0.6 mi · 76
- PARSON HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL0.7 mi · 517
- HARP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL0.9 mi · 559
- GEORGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL1.0 mi · 676
- JONES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL1.1 mi · 464
Frequently asked questions
About J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOLHow many students attend J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL?
J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL enrolls approximately 663 students in grades 06-07.
What grades does J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL serve?
J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL serves grades 06-07.
What is the student-teacher ratio at J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL?
The student-to-teacher ratio at J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL is approximately 13.4:1 (50 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL?
At J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL, the student body is approximately 8% White, 70% Hispanic, 2% Black, 1% Asian, 0% Two or more.
Who oversees J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL?
J. O. KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL is overseen by SPRINGDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT in Washington County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.