Ray/phyllis Simon Middle Schoo, Conway AR

Original Research by School Decision on Ray/phyllis Simon Middle Schoo

Ray/Phyllis Simon Middle School serves fifth through seventh graders in the Conway School District, a public middle school in a city that functions as a regional hub and college town in central Arkansas. Conway’s identity is shaped by three higher-education institutions—the University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix College, and Central Baptist College—and a workforce where a strong share of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. The city has a recognizably college‑town atmosphere, with annual community events and a downtown anchored by Toad Suck Square. The broader housing market in the area is moderately priced relative to national averages, and the local economy blends education, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing.

The student body at Ray/Phyllis Simon is diverse. White students make up the largest group, followed by Black students, with smaller shares of Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced‑price lunch, indicating that many families face economic challenges. This is a middle‑school‑only campus, with enrollment spread roughly evenly across grades five, six, and seven.

Academic performance, based on the state’s ATLAS assessments, shows a mixed picture. Results vary notably by grade level and subject. In math, fifth graders posted a relatively low proficiency rate, while sixth and seventh graders reached a higher share. A similar pattern appears in English language arts: sixth graders scored at a level approaching half proficient, while fifth and seventh graders recorded lower rates. Science results were strongest in sixth and seventh grades, where close to half of students met the benchmark, compared to a smaller share in fifth grade. Overall, the school’s combined proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint when measured against other districts in Faulkner County. This suggests that while some grade levels and subjects show solid performance, others leave room for improvement; a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand specific instructional supports.

Because the school ends at seventh grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism was available. The district itself, Conway School District, did not have any recent publicly reported changes of lasting impact to note.

For families considering this school, the setting is a mid‑sized city that offers a college‑influenced community, a range of local employers, and a modestly priced housing market. The school’s economic diversity is pronounced, and its academic profile shows strengths in certain grades and subjects alongside areas where proficiency lags. A family looking for a middle school in a growing, education‑focused city may want to weigh the varying grade‑level outcomes and ask about how the school supports students who are not yet meeting benchmarks.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 36% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 643%

School 43% · District 42% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median

Grade 741%

School 41% · District 43% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 532%

School 32% · District 44% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 649%

School 49% · District 48% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median

Grade 735%

School 35% · District 40% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Science

Grade 534%

School 34% · District 44% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 649%

School 49% · District 47% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median

Grade 747%

School 47% · District 49% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

This schoolCONWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 5Lower-income39%Higher-income63%24 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income27%Higher-income62%35 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income29%Higher-income66%36 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income22%Higher-income60%38 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income25%Higher-income65%39 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income29%Higher-income55%26 pp gap