The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in Science. The lowest is 18% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Westwind School for Performing Arts
Westwind School for Performing Arts is a public charter school district that serves a single school for grades six through eight in Pulaski County, Arkansas. It opened in August 2021, making it a relatively new option for families in central Arkansas. The school draws students from the Pulaski County Special School District, North Little Rock School District, and Little Rock School District, and operates as an open-enrollment charter, meaning any eligible student in the region can apply.
The school’s defining characteristic is its arts-integrated curriculum. Dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and filmmaking are woven into core academic subjects rather than offered as standalone electives. For core academics, the school uses Wit & Wisdom for English language arts, Savvas materials, and Eureka Math for mathematics, alongside a Pre-AP academic program. This makes the school a clear fit for families who want a middle school experience where creative expression is a central part of every school day rather than an add-on.
The student body is small for a district serving this grade band, and the demographic composition is predominantly Black, followed by white students, with smaller shares of Hispanic students and students identifying as two or more races. Information on how many students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners was not available. A parent may want to ask the school directly about the support systems it has in place for students with diverse learning needs.
On state assessments administered under Arkansas’s ATLAS system, performance varied by grade and subject. In English language arts, proficiency rates improved as students moved through the grades, landing in a moderate range by eighth grade. Math performance was weaker across all three grades, with the eighth-grade result well behind the others, a pattern a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand what supports are in place for math instruction. Science results landed in a similar moderate range, with the strongest performance in seventh grade. Overall, the district’s combined proficiency index sits above the midpoint among Pulaski County’s districts, placing it in a middle tier relative to its local peers. Because the school only serves grades six through eight, there is no graduation rate to report.
Chronic absenteeism, a metric that captures how many students miss a substantial portion of the school year, is below the county median and positions the school favorably on this measure. Per-pupil spending is in the upper range among county districts, which may reflect the costs of operating a small, specialized program. Information on the school’s locale, teacher staffing ratios, course access beyond the core arts curriculum, and disciplinary data was not available. A parent considering the school would likely want to visit and speak with current families about what a typical day looks like and how the arts integration plays out in practice.
The district operates a single school building, which means the school environment is contained and self-contained. For families in central Arkansas who want a middle school that places the performing arts at the center of learning rather than on the periphery, Westwind presents a distinctive public option. For those whose priority is strong math performance, the results warrant a closer conversation with the school about its approach.
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