Dumas Middle School

Dumas Middle School in Dumas, AR, is a small public school serving 184 students in grades 6 through 8, and it is part of the Dumas School District, which ranks near the very bottom of the state.

This school is facing a severe academic crisis, with proficiency rates that are dramatically lower than those at the nearby Conner Middle School in the McGehee School District. For example, in mathematics, only 6.7% of Dumas students are proficient compared to 34.7% at Conner, and in English Language Arts, the rate is 12.3% versus 23.7%. This performance gap is especially concerning because Dumas spends significantly more per student—$18,135 compared to Conner’s $12,092—yet achieves far worse results. The school’s state ranking has also declined sharply, falling from the 35th percentile in 2020-2021 to the 1st percentile currently, indicating systemic issues that are worsening over time.

One interesting finding is the "Algebra anomaly": while 8th-grade math proficiency is a mere 2.3%, the school reports a 50% proficiency rate in Algebra, likely because only a small group of advanced students takes that test. Additionally, 7th grade is the strongest performing grade, while 8th grade is the weakest, suggesting students fall further behind as they approach high school. The school serves a high-needs population, with all students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, which may contribute to its challenges. The most urgent need is to understand why high spending is not translating into better academic outcomes and to implement targeted interventions, especially in math and for 8th graders.