The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in Math. The lowest is 19% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on J. O. Kelly Middle School
J. O. Kelly Middle School serves sixth and seventh graders in Springdale, a city in Washington County. The school sits within the Springdale School District, which is a large district in the region. Kelly Middle School is not a charter or magnet school, and the data did not specify Title I status.
The student body at Kelly Middle School is large for a school serving just two grade levels. The demographic profile is distinctive. The majority of students are Hispanic, and a substantial share are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, a group that is present in far higher proportion here than in most U.S. schools. White students make up a much smaller share, and Black, Asian, and multiracial students are each present in small numbers. The school also has a very high rate of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learner status was not provided.
On the 2024-25 Arkansas ATLAS assessments, J. O. Kelly Middle School recorded proficiency rates that were low across the board. In sixth-grade math, about a third of students scored proficient or above. In seventh-grade math, the rate was lower. For English language arts, about a fifth of sixth graders met the bar, and the seventh-grade rate was lower still. Science proficiency ran at about a fifth for sixth graders and a slightly lower share for seventh graders. The comparison data places the school's overall proficiency index in the bottom quartile among districts in Washington County. A parent looking at these results may want to discuss academic support and intervention programs with the school directly, as the available metrics show a clear area of challenge.
Because the school ends at seventh grade, there is no high school graduation data here. The school's data did not include chronic absenteeism or discipline figures, so those measures are not part of this account. The district brief showed no major recent changes that would alter a family's day-to-day experience.
Springdale itself is a fast-growing city with a strong industrial and manufacturing base. It is known for its deep ties to the poultry processing industry, and major employers include Tyson Foods, George's, and Cargill, along with manufacturers like Pratt & Whitney and Ball Corporation. The city's civic and cultural life focuses on the traditional downtown Emma Avenue corridor, home to the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History and the Arts Center of the Ozarks, and on Arvest Ballpark, where the minor league Northwest Arkansas Naturals play. Interstate 49 runs through the city, providing a controlled-access route through the region. The city has experienced rapid population growth and annexed a neighboring town in 2020, which continues to shape the community's character and demand on public services like schools.
Housing in the area around the school is moderately more expensive than the statewide typical home value, based on the data for the ZIP code. Rents are trending upward. The national mortgage rate context and a typical price-to-income ratio suggest that homeownership in this market is a substantial commitment relative to the national median household income.
For a parent or resident evaluating J. O. Kelly Middle School, this is a school with a very high-need student population and state test results that are lower than those seen across most of Washington County. The school is part of a large district in a thriving, economically active city. Families moving to the area specifically for strong middle-school academic outcomes as measured by state tests may want to look into what additional supports are in place. Families who live in the attendance zone or who work in Springdale's industrial sectors will find a school that reflects the community it serves, with a student body shaped by the city's immigrant and workforce history.
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