Top Rankings
Fort Smith School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Arkansas for:
Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 6 public middle schools serving 3,225 students in Fort Smith School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public middle schools in Arkansas.
Public Middle Schools in Fort Smith School District have an average math proficiency score of 39% (versus the Arkansas public middle school average of 36%), and reading proficiency score of 43% (versus the 42% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 64% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Arkansas public middle school average of 41% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (AR)
# Schools
27 Schools
352 Schools
# Students
14,060 Students
147,541 Students
# Teachers
981 Teachers
13,335 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Fort Smith School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 258 school districts in Arkansas (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 88% has increased from 86% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#120 out of 259 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
36%
38%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
39%
40%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
32%
36%
Graduation Rate
88%
88%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.72
0.60
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
5%
2%
% Hispanic
36%
14%
% Black
10%
19%
% White
37%
59%
% Hawaiian
n/a
1%
% Two or more races
11%
4%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $14,047 is higher than the state median of $13,132. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $17,881 is higher than the state median of $13,043. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$198 MM
$6,371 MM
Spending
$251 MM
$6,327 MM
Revenue / Student
$14,047
$13,132
Spending / Student
$17,881
$13,043
Best Fort Smith School District Public Middle Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
L. A. Chaffin Middle School
(Math: 64% | Reading: 65%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
3025 Massard Rd
Fort Smith, AR 72903
(479) 452-2226
Fort Smith, AR 72903
(479) 452-2226
Grades: 6-8
| 691 students
Rank: #22.
Ramsey Middle School
(Math: 42% | Reading: 52%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
3201 Jenny Lind Rd
Fort Smith, AR 72901
(479) 783-5115
Fort Smith, AR 72901
(479) 783-5115
Grades: 6-8
| 808 students
Rank: #33.
Dora Kimmons Middle School
(Math: 27% | Reading: 28%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
2201 N 50th St
Fort Smith, AR 72904
(479) 785-2451
Fort Smith, AR 72904
(479) 785-2451
Grades: 6-8
| 800 students
Rank: #44.
William O. Darby Middle School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
616 N 14th St
Fort Smith, AR 72901
(479) 783-4159
Fort Smith, AR 72901
(479) 783-4159
Grades: 6-8
| 720 students
Rank: #55.
Belle Point Alternative Center
Alternative School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
1501 Dodson Ave
Fort Smith, AR 72901
(479) 783-7034
Fort Smith, AR 72901
(479) 783-7034
Grades: 6-12
| 73 students
Rank: n/an/a
Fort Smith Virtual Academy
Charter School
5900 Painter Lane
Fort Smith, AR 72903
(844) 989-3399
Fort Smith, AR 72903
(844) 989-3399
Grades: K-12
| 133 students
Recent Articles
Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.
Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.
Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.
