J.F. WAHL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

J.F. WAHL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is a medium-sized elementary campus in HELENA, Arkansas, part of HELENA WEST HELENA SCHOOL DISTRICT. The school caters to 539 students in grades pre-K through 6. Compared to the state average of about 418 students per school, that is 29% larger than typical.

HELENA WEST HELENA SCHOOL DISTRICT runs 2 schools in total, collectively educating 978 students. J.F. WAHL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is one of those campuses.

Looking at the student body, J.F. WAHL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL logs that 91% of students identify as Black, making the school strongly Black-majority; the rest is composed of 5% White. That is visibly more Black than the county at large, where the share is closer to 61%.

On the resource side, On paper, J.F. WAHL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL has 35 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 15.5:1. That tracks the state average closely. About 100% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), J.F. WAHL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 22.3% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 12.4%.

Zooming out to the county, Phillips County reports that median household income runs about $40,134, roughly 15% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 25%. J.F. WAHL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is one of 9 public schools in Phillips County (combined enrollment of about 2,669 students).

The closest other public school is CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, roughly 0.8 miles away. Within five miles, there are 4 other public schools. Among the 7 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), J.F. WAHL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ranks 5th on composite proficiency, beneath the local average of 17.3%.

Geographically, the school is in a small-town area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged down 28%: 748 students in 2018 compared to 539 in 2025.

On this page, 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.