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Malvern Middle School

Public Grades 7-8

263^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 327 Arkansas Middle Schools

Better than 20% of Arkansas middle schools

Summary

Malvern Middle School in Malvern School District serves 264 students in grades 7 and 8, and is located in a high-poverty community where about 77% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Academically, Malvern Middle School consistently ranks in the bottom 20-35% of Arkansas middle schools, with recent proficiency rates far below those of nearby schools. For example, in Mathematics, only 23.2% of Malvern students are proficient, compared to 52.8% at Benton Middle School and 56.4% at Lakeside Junior High School. The school’s 8th-grade math performance is especially concerning, with just 14.3% of students proficient. However, there is a slight bright spot in Reading, where proficiency has improved from 21.2% to 32.2% over the last three years, though it still trails the state average of 40.4%.

A key issue is the school’s "efficiency paradox": Malvern spends $15,859 per student—nearly 80% more than Benton Middle School ($8,826)—and has a very low student-teacher ratio of 9.3:1, yet academic outcomes remain low. This suggests the challenges are not about funding or class size, but likely stem from deeper factors like poverty and instructional quality. Nearby schools like Lakeside Junior High School (5-star district) and Harmony Grove Junior High School (4-star district) achieve much higher proficiency rates with lower spending, highlighting what is possible in the region.

264

Students ?

9.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,859

Per pupil spending ?

76.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

339 E Donnelly
Malvern, AR 72104

(501) 332-7530

District: Malvern School District

Students who attend Malvern Middle School usually attend:

High:

Malvern High School

Feeder schools for Malvern Middle School:

Elementary:

Malvern Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

40.9%

African American:

27.3%

Two or more races:

14.8%

See top rated Arkansas middle schools

Compare Malvern Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 35th percentile in 2016 → 20th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Arkansas average (27% vs 41% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (20th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 15 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school27%

District avg32%

Arkansas avg41%

263^rd of 327

Arkansas public middle schools ?

Bottom 20%▼ down 15 pts since 2016

From bottom 35% (2016) to bottom 20% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Arkansas Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

167^th of 251Malvern School District among Arkansas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arkansas percentile	Rating
2026	25.6	263 of 327	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	40.2	210 of 324	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	29.5	254 of 335	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.4	274 of 330	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	19.8	275 of 318	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	18.8	289 of 330	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	24.7	257 of 319	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	36.3	220 of 318	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2017	37.9	219 of 315	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2016	40.6	203 of 312	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2015	32.6	193 of 275	29.8%	★★☆☆☆
2014	30.6	217 of 280	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	49.9	158 of 278	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	60.7	119 of 265	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2011	62.3	110 of 264	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2010	59.8	115 of 254	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2009	51.1	132 of 240	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2008	47.0	142 of 223	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2007	55.7	102 of 225	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2006	49.7	111 of 206	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2005	46.6	124 of 208	40.4%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Arkansas (2025-2026) ?

Reading32%-8 vs state

English Language Arts28%-12 vs state

Algebra26%-11 vs state

Science26%-19 vs state

Mathematics23%-21 vs state

★

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Schools Near Malvern Middle School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				ATLAS English Language Arts (2026)							ATLAS Reading (2026)							ATLAS Mathematics (2026)						ATLAS Algebra (2026)			ATLAS Geometry (2026)		ATLAS Science (2026)						ATLAS Biology (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ATLAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 9th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 4th Grade	ATLAS Reading 5th Grade	ATLAS Reading 6th Grade	ATLAS Reading 7th Grade	ATLAS Reading 8th Grade	ATLAS Reading 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 5th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 6th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 7th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 8th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Algebra 8th Grade	ATLAS Algebra 9th Grade	ATLAS Algebra All Grades	ATLAS Geometry 9th Grade	ATLAS Geometry All Grades	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science 5th Grade	ATLAS Science 6th Grade	ATLAS Science 7th Grade	ATLAS Science 8th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	ATLAS Biology 9th Grade	ATLAS Biology All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Malvern Middle School	Public	7-8	339 E Donnelly	Malvern	72104	Hot Spring County	Malvern School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 332-7530	264	28	9.3	76.9%	108 (40.9%)	72 (27.3%)	38 (14.4%)	3 (1.1%)	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (14.8%)	25.6	263^rd of 327 public middle schools	19.6%		40.2	210^th of 324 public middle schools	35.2%	53				24.8	30.5		27.5				28.5	36.5		32.2				29.2	14.3	23.2	25.9		25.9						26.2	24.5	25.5			$15,859	$2,552	$13,308
Wilson Intermediate School	Public	5-6	614 W Moline St	Malvern	72104	Hot Spring County	Malvern School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 332-6452	272	16	17.0	78.3%	127 (46.7%)	67 (24.6%)	33 (12.1%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (15.4%)								(n/a)		29.8	30.0				29.9		33.8	30.0				32.1		31.8	18.5			25.7							29.8	33.8			31.7			$13,693	$3,240	$10,453
Lakeside Middle School	Public	5-6	2923 Malvern Avenue	Hot Springs	71901	Garland County	LAKESIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Garland)	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 262-6244	546	33	16.3	44.7%	390 (71.4%)	42 (7.7%)	58 (10.6%)	11 (2.0%)	2 (0.4%)	5 (0.9%)	38 (7.0%)								(n/a)		48.5	55.3				51.9		50.0	54.1				52.1		63.8	79.4			71.4							55.3	49.8			52.6			$10,867	$675	$10,192
Lakeside Junior High School	Public	7-8	2839 Malvern Ave	Hot Springs	71901	Garland County	LAKESIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Garland)	No	No	No	No	(501) 770-1120	581	37	15.6	47.3%	409 (70.4%)	39 (6.7%)	68 (11.7%)	17 (2.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (7.9%)	79.8	39^th of 327 public middle schools	88.1%		82.2	37^th of 324 public middle schools	88.6%	2				42.5	47.7		45.0				43.5	50.9		47.0				62.2	45.8	56.4	90.2		90.2						53.8	60.2	56.9			$9,518	$702	$8,816
Harmony Grove Junior High School	Public	7-9	2621 N Hwy 229	Benton	72015	Saline County	HARMONY GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Saline)	No	No	No	No	(501) 778-6907	288	26	11.0	28.1%	247 (85.8%)	9 (3.1%)	22 (7.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	7 (2.4%)	55.9	137^th of 327 public middle schools	58.1%		63.5	96^th of 324 public middle schools	70.4%	41				44.1	43.5	37.1	41.5				43.1	42.4	38.1	41.1				51.0	14.5	37.1	53.3	3.4	20.5	32.0	32.0				32.3	39.1	35.6			$8,841	$413	$8,428
Harmony Grove Middle School	Public	4-6	2621 N Hwy 229	Benton	72015	Saline County	HARMONY GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Saline)	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 860-6796	298	17	17.4	35.9%	256 (85.9%)	8 (2.7%)	15 (5.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.0%)								(n/a)	53.2	47.0	51.7				50.5	56.3	50.0	51.6				52.6	58.3	43.9	54.8			52.2						66.6	58.2	38.3			54.5			$9,654	$583	$9,071
Hot Springs Junior Academy	Public, Magnet, Charter	7-9	120 Chestnut	Hot Springs	71901	Garland County	Hot Springs School District	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(501) 624-5228	803	56	14.4	99.9%	241 (30.0%)	278 (34.6%)	193 (24.0%)	3 (0.4%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	85 (10.6%)	33	236^th of 327 public middle schools	27.8%		27.5	246^th of 324 public middle schools	24.1%	10				29.7	27.5	29.9	29.0				32.3	33.2	34.7	33.3				30.2	27.4	28.8	69.3	15.8	24.7						32.8	31.4	32.2	72.2	72.2	$13,080	$2,561	$10,518
Fountain Lake Middle School	Public	5-8	4207 Park Avenue	Hot Springs	71901	Garland County	Fountain Lake School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 701-1700	389	35	10.9	54.8%	339 (87.1%)	5 (1.3%)	34 (8.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.6%)	35.7	227^th of 327 public middle schools	30.6%					(n/a)		33.4	29.7	22.1	30.4		29.0		32.4	33.0	27.4	32.3		31.3		36.3	25.3	52.6	33.8	37.3	60.7		60.7				32.4	27.5	42.6	34.3	34.2
Benton Middle School	Public	5-7	Benton Middle School	Benton	72015	Saline County	Benton School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 776-5740	1,363	79	17.1	43.4%	977 (71.7%)	164 (12.0%)	139 (10.2%)	9 (0.7%)	4 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	69 (5.1%)	60.9	119^th of 327 public middle schools	63.6%		66.3	88^th of 324 public middle schools	72.8%	31		45.9	40.9	36.2			40.3		46.8	44.3	37.3			42.1		53.6	53.0	51.8		52.8							50.8	46.2	44.6		46.7			$8,826	$738	$8,087

Frequently Asked Questions about Malvern Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Malvern Middle School?

Students at Malvern Middle School are 41% White, 27% African American, 15% Two or more races, 14% Hispanic, 2% American Indian, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Malvern Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 264 students attended Malvern Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Malvern Middle School attend?

Students who attend Malvern Middle School usually go on to attend Malvern High School

Is Malvern Middle School a good school?

Malvern Middle School ranks in the bottom 19.6% of Arkansas middle schools.

What district is Malvern Middle School in?

Malvern School District

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.