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Dunbar Magnet Middle School

Public, Magnet Grades 6-8

323^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 327 Arkansas Middle Schools

Better than 1% of Arkansas middle schools

Summary

Dunbar Magnet Middle School in Little Rock, AR, is a small school serving 315 students in grades 6 through 8, and it is part of the Little Rock School District.

Dunbar has faced significant academic challenges, consistently ranking in the bottom 5% of all middle schools in Arkansas over the past decade. However, there is one notable bright spot: its Algebra I program. While overall math proficiency is low, 40% of 8th graders taking Algebra I are proficient, which is higher than both the district average (20.8%) and the state average (36.9%). This suggests that when students are placed in an advanced track, they can achieve at or above state averages. The school also has a very low student-to-teacher ratio of 9.7:1 and spends over $20,000 per student, which is significantly more than nearby high-performing charter schools like Estem Junior High Public Charter School ($12,641) and Lisa Academy West Middle School ($10,875).

Despite these resources, the school has not seen a return in overall test scores. A direct comparison with Mann Magnet Middle School, located just 1.4 miles away and serving a similar student population, shows that Mann outperforms Dunbar in every subject and grade level, while spending less per student. This indicates that the challenges at Dunbar are not insurmountable, but that current strategies are not effectively translating investment into academic gains. The school’s leadership has an opportunity to learn from its own successful Algebra program and from the example of Mann Magnet to improve outcomes for all students.

315

Students ?

9.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,142

Per pupil spending ?

99%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1100 Wright Ave
Little Rock, AR 72206

(501) 447-2600

District: Little Rock School District

Students who attend Dunbar Magnet Middle School usually attend:

High:

Central High School

Feeder schools for Dunbar Magnet Middle School:

Elementary:

Dr Martin Luther King Junior Leadership & Language Magnet Academy

Racial breakdown:

African American:

85.4%

Hispanic:

10.2%

White:

3.2%

See top rated Arkansas middle schools

Compare Dunbar Magnet Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 7th percentile in 2016 → 1st in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Arkansas average (13% vs 41% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (1st percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 6 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school13%

District avg32%

Arkansas avg41%

323^rd of 327

Arkansas public middle schools ?

Bottom 1%▼ down 6 pts since 2016

From bottom 7% (2016) to bottom 1% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Arkansas Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 5Middle Schools in the Little Rock School District

178^th of 251Little Rock 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	4.8	323 of 327	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	7.0	313 of 324	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	5.2	327 of 335	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	3.2	326 of 330	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	5.4	306 of 318	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	5.1	314 of 330	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	5.5	304 of 319	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	8.2	296 of 318	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	19.8	268 of 315	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	13.5	290 of 312	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	26.6	215 of 275	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	21.7	242 of 280	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	18.8	239 of 278	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	18.3	234 of 265	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	25.7	224 of 264	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	25.8	213 of 254	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	26.7	199 of 240	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	32.5	184 of 223	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	34.3	182 of 225	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	32.0	159 of 206	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	41.4	133 of 208	36.1%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Arkansas (2025-2026) ?

Algebra40%+3 vs state

Mathematics15%-29 vs state

Reading13%-27 vs state

Science12%-32 vs state

English Language Arts11%-29 vs state

★

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Schools Near Dunbar Magnet 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 6th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 6th Grade	ATLAS Reading 7th Grade	ATLAS Reading 8th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 6th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 7th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 8th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Algebra 7th Grade	ATLAS Algebra 8th Grade	ATLAS Algebra All Grades	ATLAS Geometry 8th Grade	ATLAS Geometry All Grades	ATLAS Science 6th Grade	ATLAS Science 7th Grade	ATLAS Science 8th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	ATLAS Biology 8th Grade	ATLAS Biology All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Dunbar Magnet Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	1100 Wright Ave	Little Rock	72206	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(501) 447-2600	315	32	9.7	99.0%	10 (3.2%)	269 (85.4%)	32 (10.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	4.8	323^rd of 327 public middle schools	1.2%		7	313^th of 324 public middle schools	3.4%	10	12.3	11.4	7.4	10.6	14.7	13.8	10.5	13.3	15.6	17.0	9.7	14.7		40.0	40.0			11.4	13.8	11.6	12.4			$20,142	$2,364	$17,778
Arkansas Virtual Academy Middle School	Public, Virtual, Charter	6-8	717 West 7th Street	Little Rock	72201	Pulaski County	Arkansas Virtual Academy	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	(501) 664-4225	1,315	44	30.1	56.3%	875 (66.5%)	239 (18.2%)	107 (8.1%)	8 (0.6%)	23 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	62 (4.7%)	26.4	258^th of 327 public middle schools	21.1%		34	228^th of 324 public middle schools	29.6%	30	23.1	20.3	27.4	24.0	28.3	27.4	33.1	30.0	21.7	31.0	29.2	27.7	80.0	46.9	51.4			24.5	31.6	32.7	30.2
Estem Junior High Public Charter School	Public, Charter	7-8	112 W 3rd St	Little Rock	72201	Pulaski County	Estem Public Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 748-9335	401	30	13.3	73.6%	54 (13.5%)	286 (71.3%)	43 (10.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.0%)	57.1	131^st of 327 public middle schools	59.9%		52	151^st of 324 public middle schools	53.4%	20		37.9	42.2	40.2		37.3	42.5	40.0		39.1	42.7	40.9		89.5	88.5				36.6	41.8	39.3			$12,641	$1,317	$11,324
Mann Magnet Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	1000 E. Roosevelt	Little Rock	72206	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(501) 447-3100	557	41	13.7	99.5%	29 (5.2%)	413 (74.1%)	97 (17.4%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.2%)	15.7	293^rd of 327 public middle schools	10.4%		15.1	289^th of 324 public middle schools	10.8%	4	21.2	24.7	21.3	22.3	22.4	25.2	24.2	24.0	20.0	19.2	11.6	17.0		48.8	48.8			24.1	29.5	23.8	25.7			$16,625	$1,860	$14,765
Friendship Aspire Academy Little Rock Middle School	Public, Charter	6-8	Little Rock Ar 72204	Pine Bluff	71603	Pulaski County	Friendship Aspire Academies Arkansas	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(501) 621-1500	62	8	7.8	77.4%	1 (1.6%)	49 (79.0%)	12 (19.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17	289^th of 327 public middle schools	11.6%		11.8	299^th of 324 public middle schools	7.7%	10	10.0	30.3	23.1	19.8	10.0	33.3	38.5	23.3	20.0	24.2	25.0	22.4						12.5	24.2	25.0	18.8
Pulaski Heights Middle School	Public	6-8	401 N Pine	Little Rock	72205	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 447-3200	585	41	14.2	59.0%	212 (36.2%)	335 (57.3%)	21 (3.6%)	7 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.7%)	40.4	207^th of 327 public middle schools	36.7%		43.5	191^st of 324 public middle schools	41.0%	16	36.9	34.2	34.8	35.3	37.5	35.9	36.0	36.5	24.9	28.1	25.0	26.1		77.5	77.5			35.2	34.8	41.7	37.3			$16,686	$2,009	$14,677
Mills Middle School	Public	6-8	1205 E. Dixon Rd	Little Rock	72206	Pulaski County	Pulaski County Special School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 234-5251	420	42	9.9	65.2%	63 (15.0%)	205 (48.8%)	129 (30.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.0%)	14.8	294^th of 327 public middle schools	10.1%		10.7	305^th of 324 public middle schools	5.9%	11	22.9	21.4	19.7	21.2	26.6	26.7	22.6	25.2	21.1	15.5	15.9	17.5	33.3	20.9	25.6			18.4	26.0	26.3	23.8			$15,755	$1,292	$14,462
North Little Rock Middle School 6th Grade Campus	Public	6	2300 Lakeview Road	North Little Rock	72116	Pulaski County	North Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 771-8250	548	44	12.5	100.0%	82 (15.0%)	347 (63.3%)	78 (14.2%)	6 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	33 (6.0%)								(n/a)	29.1			29.1	29.7			29.7	28.2			28.2						27.9			27.9			$14,255	$2,557	$11,698
North Little Rock Middle School	Public	7-8	2400 Lakeview Road	North Little Rock	72116	Pulaski County	North Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 771-8200	1,036	73	14.1	100.0%	176 (17.0%)	643 (62.1%)	157 (15.2%)	6 (0.6%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (4.9%)	14	299^th of 327 public middle schools	8.6%		14.3	294^th of 324 public middle schools	9.3%	5		18.4	24.6	21.2		19.4	26.1	22.5		17.7	15.3	16.7		16.7	25.7	70.0	70.0		21.0	23.1	22.0			$12,826	$2,380	$10,446
Lisa Academy West Middle School	Public, Charter	6-8	23 Corporate Hill Dr	Little Rock	72205	Pulaski County	Lisa Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 246-5853	430	25	17.1	64.9%	63 (14.7%)	139 (32.3%)	144 (33.5%)	74 (17.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.3%)	55.1	143^rd of 327 public middle schools	56.3%		53.7	144^th of 324 public middle schools	55.6%	1	37.3	44.8	45.9	42.7	42.4	48.8	50.9	47.4	43.3	15.6	14.0	27.0	89.6	57.1	73.6	83.3	83.3	39.8	41.6	35.9	39.4	93.3	93.3	$10,875	$680	$10,195

Frequently Asked Questions about Dunbar Magnet Middle School

What district is Dunbar Magnet Middle School in?

Little Rock School District

What high school do graduates of Dunbar Magnet Middle School attend?

Students who attend Dunbar Magnet Middle School usually go on to attend Central High School

Is Dunbar Magnet Middle School a good school?

Dunbar Magnet Middle School ranks in the bottom 1.2% of Arkansas middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Dunbar Magnet Middle School?

Students at Dunbar Magnet Middle School are 85% African American, 10% Hispanic, 3% White.

How many students attend Dunbar Magnet Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 315 students attended Dunbar Magnet Middle School.

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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.