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J.F. Wahl Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-6

469^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 491 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Better than 4% of Arkansas elementary schools

Summary

J.F. Wahl Elementary School in Helena, AR, serves 539 students from Pre-K through 6th grade within the Helena West Helena School District, and like all nearby schools, it has a 100% free/reduced lunch rate, reflecting a community with very high economic need.

Academically, J.F. Wahl faces significant challenges, consistently ranking in the bottom tier of Arkansas elementary schools over the past seven years. Its proficiency rates in English Language Arts (16.7%), Reading (18.1%), Math (15.5%), and Science (19.4%) are the lowest among nearby schools. For example, KIPP Delta Elementary Literacy Academy, just 2 miles away, outperforms J.F. Wahl by about 8 to 9 percentage points in each subject, despite serving a similarly high-poverty population. This shows that while poverty is a major factor, it doesn't have to determine outcomes. A particularly alarming trend is a "5th-grade cliff": 5th-grade math proficiency plummets to just 5.1%, compared to 30.4% in 3rd grade—a pattern not seen at other local schools like Anna Strong Learning Academy, where 5th-grade math is actually higher than 4th grade. This suggests a systemic issue at J.F. Wahl for upper elementary students that needs urgent attention.

On a positive note, J.F. Wahl shows a pocket of relative strength in 3rd-grade science (26.6% proficiency), which is higher than Anna Strong Learning Academy (16.7%) and Marvell-Elaine Elementary School (15.4%), though this success isn't sustained in later grades. The school spends $17,373 per student—more than Barton Elementary School ($14,196) and KIPP Delta ($15,036)—yet achieves lower results, raising questions about how funds are used. While the school's state ranking has slightly improved from the 6th to the 4th percentile in recent years, it remains in the bottom 5% of Arkansas schools, highlighting the need for targeted interventions, especially for 5th graders.

539

Students ?

15.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,373

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

125 Hickory Hill
Helena, AR 72342

(870) 338-4404

District: Helena West Helena School District

Students who attend J.F. Wahl Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Central High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

90.9%

White:

5.0%

Two or more races:

1.5%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 7th percentile in 2019 → 4th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Arkansas average (17% vs 42% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (4th percentile)

!Mathematics scores 29 pts below the Arkansas average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school17%

District avg17%

Arkansas avg42%

469^th of 491

Arkansas public elementary schools ?

Bottom 4%▼ down 3 pts since 2019

See the entire ranking list of Arkansas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

245^th of 251Helena West Helena 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	8.9	469 of 491	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	9.6	471 of 495	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	10.9	465 of 497	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	13.7	434 of 492	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	13.7	424 of 487	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.3	413 of 496	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	9.9	452 of 488	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Arkansas (2025-2026) ?

Science19%-25 vs state

Reading18%-22 vs state

English Language Arts17%-23 vs state

Mathematics16%-29 vs state

★

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Schools Near J.F. Wahl Elementary 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 Science (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 3rd Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 3rd Grade	ATLAS Reading 4th Grade	ATLAS Reading 5th Grade	ATLAS Reading 6th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 5th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 6th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Science 3rd Grade	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science 5th Grade	ATLAS Science 6th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
J.F. Wahl Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	125 Hickory Hill	Helena	72342	Phillips County	Helena West Helena School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 338-4404	539	35	15.5	100.0%	27 (5.0%)	490 (90.9%)	6 (1.1%)	7 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.5%)	8.9	469^th of 491 public elementary schools	4.5%		9.6	471^st of 495 public elementary schools	4.8%	2	21.5	19.0	3.4	19.4	16.7	22.8	21.0	5.1	19.4	18.1	30.4	14.0	5.1	9.0	15.5	26.6	20.0	14.1	14.9	19.4	$17,373	$5,739	$11,634
KIPP Delta Elementary Literacy Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	1020 Plaza St.	West Helena	72390	Phillips County	KIPP Delta Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(870) 753-9800	463	30	15.6	100.0%	20 (4.3%)	432 (93.3%)	5 (1.1%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	21.1	415^th of 491 public elementary schools	15.5%		15.3	444^th of 495 public elementary schools	10.3%	29	37.5	19.3	28.3	13.6	25.2	34.7	19.4	32.0	17.0	26.0	20.9	22.6	41.5	13.6	24.0	38.0	22.6	37.8	15.3	28.6	$15,036	$4,784	$10,251
Barton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	9546 Hwy 85 South	Lexa	72355	Phillips County	Barton School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 572-7294	342	28	12.0	100.0%	203 (59.4%)	99 (28.9%)	15 (4.4%)	6 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.6%)	19	424^th of 491 public elementary schools	13.6%		23.5	398^th of 495 public elementary schools	19.6%	26	32.6	13.4	27.9	14.6	21.8	41.9	21.1	23.3	24.4	27.4	30.2	11.5	16.3	17.1	18.4	48.8	30.8	25.6	14.6	30.2	$14,196	$1,893	$12,303
Marvell-Elaine Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1018b Hwy 49	Marvell	72366	Phillips County	Marvell Elaine School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 829-1341	121	11	11.0	100.0%	4 (3.3%)	117 (96.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7.9	474^th of 491 public elementary schools	3.5%		17.9	424^th of 495 public elementary schools	14.3%	50	0.0	16.7	15.4	9.1	10.9	0.0	11.2	7.7	0.0	5.4	61.6	11.1	15.4	9.1	23.7	15.4	11.2	0.0	0.0	7.3	$23,598	$7,173	$16,425
Anna Strong Learning Academy	Public	PK, KG-6	214 South Alabama Street	Marianna	72360	Lee County	Lee County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 295-7140	417	26	16.1	99.8%	10 (2.4%)	379 (90.9%)	17 (4.1%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.2%)	15.9	439^th of 491 public elementary schools	10.6%		18.8	418^th of 495 public elementary schools	15.6%	21	30.1	23.9	27.6	23.9	26.6	25.9	28.2	27.6	23.9	26.5	22.3	15.2	29.8	34.7	25.4	16.7	19.6	14.9	13.0	16.0	$17,098	$5,793	$11,305

Frequently Asked Questions about J.F. Wahl Elementary School

How many students attend J.F. Wahl Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 539 students attended J.F. Wahl Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of J.F. Wahl Elementary School?

Students at J.F. Wahl Elementary School are 91% African American, 5% White, 1% Two or more races, 1% Asian, 1% Hispanic.

Is J.F. Wahl Elementary School a good school?

J.F. Wahl Elementary School ranks in the bottom 4.5% of Arkansas elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of J.F. Wahl Elementary School attend?

Students who attend J.F. Wahl Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Central High School

What district is J.F. Wahl Elementary School in?

Helena West Helena School District

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Latest Arkansas data All new data »

2025–26 ATLAS test scoresJul 13, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesMar 5, 2026

2019–20 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 6, 2026

2017–18 through 2024–25 dropout ratesJan 6, 2026

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.