The top reported proficiency rate is 13% in Science. The lowest is 8% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Camden Fairview Middle School
Camden Fairview Middle School serves grades six through eight in the Camden Fairview School District, a district formed years ago through a merger of two earlier systems. The school is located in the city of Camden, the county seat of Ouachita County. Camden sits on bluffs above the Ouachita River and developed originally as a river port. Its economy, after decades of decline tied to post-Cold War defense downsizing and the closure of a major paper mill, has partially stabilized through renewed defense contracts and a mix of small businesses. The city’s population has been declining for some time, and the area’s housing market is considerably more affordable than the national median, with home values reflecting that context.
The school itself enrolls a student body that is predominantly Black, with a substantial White population and smaller shares of students who identify as two or more races or as Hispanic. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, making this a school serving a student population with high economic need. By grade, the school’s enrollment is fairly even across the three middle grades.
On state assessments administered under the ATLAS system, a low share of students across grades six, seven, and eight met the proficiency benchmark in math. In grade six the share is modest, in grade seven it is roughly the same, and in grade eight rates are notably lower, with very few students reaching the proficient level. Results in English language arts are also low, with the portion of proficient students in grade seven lower than in grades six and eight. In science, the share of students reaching proficiency is low across all three grades. These proficiency rates place the school in the lowest-performing district group within Ouachita County, relative to the small set of districts that serve the county.
The district brief found no information about major recent changes such as boundary shifts, program additions, or leadership transitions that would be relevant to a family considering the school. The school environment and access data did not include information on discipline, course access, staffing, or attendance rates, so this picture is incomplete for families who would want to know about those areas. The school is not a charter and the data does not indicate magnet or Title I status.
For a parent or resident, the core takeaway is that Camden Fairview Middle School serves a community with high economic need and that its students show low rates of proficiency on the state’s current assessments across tested subjects. This is the kind of school where a family with the means and time to be closely involved, or one looking for a school that is actively working to raise academic performance, would want to ask direct questions about interventions, tutoring, curriculum supports, and how the school is working to address the academic gaps its testing data reveals. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what programs or strategies are in place.
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