Paragould Junior High

Q: Is Paragould Junior High a good school?

Paragould Junior High ranks 204 th of 335 Arkansas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Paragould Junior High is a public middle school serving grades 7-8 in Paragould, Arkansas, with 481 students. The school faces several challenges, including below-average test scores, a high-poverty student population, and a declining statewide ranking.

Paragould Junior High's test scores are generally below the state averages across all subjects and grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, only 24.3% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 33.8%. The school's statewide ranking has also declined over the years, from being ranked 102 out of 318 Arkansas middle schools in 2017-2018 to 204 out of 335 in 2023-2024, placing it in the bottom half of middle schools in the state. Additionally, Paragould Junior High has had 100% of its students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch for the past three school years, significantly higher than the state average.

While Paragould Junior High's performance is generally lower than the nearby Oak Grove Middle School, which is also part of the Paragould School District, the school does have a bright spot in its Algebra performance, with 94.8% of students proficient or better, significantly higher than the state average of 62%. However, when compared to schools in the Jonesboro School District, such as Annie Camp Junior High and Douglas MacArthur Junior High, Paragould Junior High performs better in some areas, such as mathematics and science, but worse in English Language Arts and reading.

Detail:

Public 7-8

1713 W Court St
Paragould, AR 72450

(870) 236-7744

District: Paragould School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
204^th of 335 Arkansas Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,107

Students who attend Paragould Junior High usually attend:

High:

Paragould High School

Feeder schools for Paragould Junior High:

Elementary:	Baldwin Elementary School
	Oak Grove Elementary School
	Paragould Primary School
	Woodrow Wilson Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.1

Number of students: 481

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.7%

African American:

9.4%

Hispanic:

8.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated Arkansas middle schools

Compare Paragould Junior High to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Paragould Junior High ranks worse than 60.9% of middle schools in Arkansas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.77. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (71.7%), African American (9.4%), Hispanic (8.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Paragould Junior High is 13.1. (See more...)

Compare Paragould Junior High employs 36.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Paragould Junior High is $8,107.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Paragould Junior High was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Paragould Junior High 204^th of 335 Arkansas public middle schools. (See Paragould Junior High in the ranking list.)

Paragould School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Paragould School District 165^th of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Paragould Junior High

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AR State Percentile
2005	63.26	79^th	208	62.0%
2006	71.19	49^th	206	76.2%
2007	68.85	64^th	225	71.6%
2008	68.50	61^st	223	72.6%
2009	62.23	95^th	240	60.4%
2010	63.89	94^th	254	63.0%
2011	54.06	138^th	264	47.7%
2012	40.83	187^th	265	29.4%
2013	46.34	165^th	278	40.6%
2014	42.07	192^nd	280	31.4%
2015	36.34	180^th	275	34.5%
2016	26.73	254^th	312	18.6%
2017	45.04	188^th	315	40.3%
2018	65.67	102^nd	318	67.9%
2019	66.20	103^rd	319	67.7%
2021	55.02	155^th	330	53.0%
2022	41.38	202^nd	318	36.5%
2023	39.26	214^th	330	35.2%
2024	40.77	204^th	335	39.1%

See the entire list of Arkansas Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, December 16, 2011

My oldest child attended the jr. high before we moved and it was a fantastic experience. The school worked with us and showed lots of interest in my child's sucess. Overall I really liked ALL of the schools. My other children attended the elementary and middle schools and they were fantastic also. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Paragould Junior High

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1999	422	1	1	3	2	n/a	n/a	429
2000	395	2	1	5	1	n/a	n/a	404
2001	431	0	0	7	2	n/a	n/a	440
2002	424	4	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	436
2003	424	4	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	436
2004	454	5	0	9	0	n/a	n/a	468
2005	442	5	0	8	1	n/a	n/a	456
2006	429	2	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	435
2007	398	7	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	412
2008	402	9	2	9	0	n/a	n/a	422
2009	412	5	2	11	0	n/a	n/a	430
2010	400	6	2	14	0	0	10	432
2011	391	10	1	15	0	0	14	431
2012	397	6	0	27	0	0	22	452
2013	394	5	0	24	0	0	21	444
2014	418	7	1	20	1	0	9	456
2015	411	21	2	26	0	0	9	469
2016	405	30	1	32	1	1	9	479
2017	413	39	1	31	5	6	6	501
2018	399	31	1	34	2	11	6	484
2019	422	29	0	29	3	8	5	496
2020	403	32	2	28	2	12	6	485
2021	358	38	5	33	1	12	10	457
2022	375	50	5	32	1	10	21	494
2023	345	45	2	43	1	16	29	481

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Paragould Junior High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	429	16.1	26.6	43.8
2000	404	39.0	10.4	37.6
2001	440	28.0	15.7	45
2002	436	37.0	11.8	50.2
2003	436	37.0	11.8	50.2
2004	468	32.0	14.6	55.8
2005	456	39.0	11.7	58.6
2006	435	41.0	10.6	59.8
2007	412	40.0	10.3	69.9
2008	422	43.0	9.8	53.8
2009	430	43.0	10.0	54.7
2010	432	40.9	10.5	59.5
2011	431	33.9	12.6	64.3
2012	452	31.6	14.2	63.9
2013	444	31.3	14.1	63.5
2014	456	32.7	13.9	62.5
2015	469	35.0	13.4	62.7
2016	479	35.0	13.6	59.7
2017	501	35.4	14.1	29.7
2018	484	35.9	13.4	31.2
2019	496	32.7	15.1	100
2020	485	33.5	14.4	100
2021	457	35.5	12.8	100
2022	494	36.0	13.7	100
2023	481	36.4	13.1	100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Paragould Junior High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	429	16.1	26.6	43.8
2000	404	39.0	10.4	37.6
2001	440	28.0	15.7	45
2002	436	37.0	11.8	50.2
2003	436	37.0	11.8	50.2
2004	468	32.0	14.6	55.8
2005	456	39.0	11.7	58.6
2006	435	41.0	10.6	59.8
2007	412	40.0	10.3	69.9
2008	422	43.0	9.8	53.8
2009	430	43.0	10.0	54.7
2010	432	40.9	10.5	59.5
2011	431	33.9	12.6	64.3
2012	452	31.6	14.2	63.9
2013	444	31.3	14.1	63.5
2014	456	32.7	13.9	62.5
2015	469	35.0	13.4	62.7
2016	479	35.0	13.6	59.7
2017	501	35.4	14.1	29.7
2018	484	35.9	13.4	31.2
2019	496	32.7	15.1	100
2020	485	33.5	14.4	100
2021	457	35.5	12.8	100
2022	494	36.0	13.7	100
2023	481	36.4	13.1	100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Paragould Junior High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,007 (12.4%)	$7,100 (87.6%)	$8,107

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Paragould Junior High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 103^rd of 319 Middle schools	Ranks 214^th of 330 Middle schools	32.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English (Paragould Junior High)	78.2	70.3	7.9%
7th Grade English (Paragould School District)	78.2	70.3	7.9%
7th Grade English (Arkansas)	78.3	75.1	3.2%
7th Grade Math (Paragould Junior High)	64.9	40.9	24%
7th Grade Math (Paragould School District)	64.9	40.9	24%
7th Grade Math (Arkansas)	47.7	39.6	8.1%
7th Grade Science (Paragould Junior High)	47.7	35.5	12.2%
7th Grade Science (Paragould School District)	47.7	35.5	12.2%
7th Grade Science (Arkansas)	43	38.5	4.5%
7th Grade Reading (Paragould Junior High)	45.2	29.3	15.9%
7th Grade Reading (Paragould School District)	45.2	29.3	15.9%
7th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	39.2	34.2	5%
8th Grade English (Paragould Junior High)	75.2	61.6	13.6%
8th Grade English (Paragould School District)	75.2	61.6	13.6%
8th Grade English (Arkansas)	74.1	69.2	4.9%
8th Grade Math (Paragould Junior High)	56.5	35.4	21.1%
8th Grade Math (Paragould School District)	56.5	35.4	21.1%
8th Grade Math (Arkansas)	47.7	37.9	9.8%
8th Grade Science (Paragould Junior High)	42.6	26.8	15.8%
8th Grade Science (Paragould School District)	42.6	26.8	15.8%
8th Grade Science (Arkansas)	42.5	36.1	6.4%
8th Grade Reading (Paragould Junior High)	54.9	34.2	20.7%
8th Grade Reading (Paragould School District)	54.9	34.2	20.7%
8th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	53.1	50.8	2.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	496	481	3%
African American	29	45	55.2%
American Indian	3	1	66.7%
Asian	0	2
Hispanic	29	43	48.3%
Pacific Islander	8	16	100%
White	422	345	18.2%
Two or More Races	5	29	480%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Paragould Junior High

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ATLAS English Language Arts (2024)							ATLAS Reading (2024)							ATLAS Mathematics (2024)						ATLAS Algebra (2024)			ATLAS Geometry (2024)		ATLAS Science (2024)						ATLAS Biology (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	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
Paragould Junior High	Public	7-8	1713 W Court St	Paragould	72450	Greene County	Paragould School District	No	No	No	No	(870) 236-7744	481	36	13.1	100.0%	345 (71.7%)	45 (9.4%)	43 (8.9%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.3%)	29 (6.0%)	40.8	204^th of 335 public middle schools	39.1%		39.3	214^th of 330 public middle schools	35.2%	10				21.8	26.9		24.3				20.0	25.5		22.8				34.7	30.0	32.6	94.8		94.8						27.9	32.8	30.3			$8,107	$1,007	$7,100
Greene City Technical Middle School	Public	6-7	5205 W Kingshighway	Paragould	72450	Greene County	Greene County Technical School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 215-4440	548	40	13.8	46.4%	493 (90.0%)	16 (2.9%)	26 (4.7%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	4 (0.7%)	61.6	98^th of 335 public middle schools	70.7%		69.1	87^th of 330 public middle schools	73.6%	11			26.6	38.6			32.5			26.5	36.3			31.3			56.5	51.0		53.4								31.2	39.8		35.4			$7,988	$1,096	$6,892
Oak Grove Middle School	Public	5-6	5097 Hwy 135 N	Paragould	72450	Greene County	Paragould School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 586-0483	512	30	17.2	100.0%	376 (73.4%)	57 (11.1%)	32 (6.3%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (3.5%)	26 (5.1%)								(n/a)		27.4	27.4				27.4		27.3	27.7				27.5		30.4	28.8			29.6							25.5	30.8			28.3			$8,209	$1,389	$6,820
Brookland Middle School	Public	4-6	100 W School St	Brookland	72417	Craighead County	Brookland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 932-2080	878	47	18.5	30.8%	787 (89.6%)	30 (3.4%)	40 (4.6%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (1.9%)								(n/a)	43.1	41.4	40.8				41.7	42.6	39.8	39.5				40.6	52.6	41.5	40.8			44.9						43.1	45.8	40.8			43.3			$6,800	$876	$5,924
Brookland Junior High School	Public	7-9	100 W School St	Brookland	72417	Craighead County	Brookland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 932-8610	718	54	13.3	25.6%	641 (89.3%)	26 (3.6%)	37 (5.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (1.7%)	49.3	159^th of 335 public middle schools	52.5%		65.9	101^st of 330 public middle schools	69.4%	58				27.8	35.0	26.7	30.1				23.2	32.0	26.0	27.3				43.2	22.9	35.6	30.2	5.7	18.3	13.0	13.0				36.0	32.8	34.3	39.6	39.6	$7,873	$768	$7,105
Nettleton Junior High School	Public	7-8	4208 Chieftain Ln	Jonesboro	72401	Craighead County	Nettleton School District	No	No	No	No	(870) 910-7819	546	42	13.0	100.0%	156 (28.6%)	294 (53.8%)	54 (9.9%)	8 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.0%)	22	281^st of 335 public middle schools	16.1%		24.9	268^th of 330 public middle schools	18.8%	13				20.1	16.5		18.2				22.3	17.1		19.6				23.9	5.1	14.8	36.4		36.4						26.5	20.2	23.3			$9,235	$1,272	$7,963
Douglas MacArthur Junior High School	Public	7-9	1615 Wilkins Ave	Jonesboro	72401	Craighead County	Jonesboro School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 933-5840	732	52	14.1	100.0%	204 (27.9%)	363 (49.6%)	126 (17.2%)	6 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	29 (4.0%)	39.6	209^th of 335 public middle schools	37.6%		32.2	244^th of 330 public middle schools	26.1%	35				26.7	29.5	17.2	24.4				28.7	29.9	17.0	25.2				32.9	4.8	23.7	45.5	4.1	21.8	15.0	15.0				26.7	26.7	26.7	52.1	52.1	$9,622	$1,688	$7,935
Annie Camp Junior High School	Public	7-9	1814 W Nettleton Ave	Jonesboro	72401	Craighead County	Jonesboro School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 933-5820	784	52	15.1	100.0%	284 (36.2%)	341 (43.5%)	108 (13.8%)	3 (0.4%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	44 (5.6%)	29.6	253^rd of 335 public middle schools	24.5%		33.8	235^th of 330 public middle schools	28.8%	18				28.5	16.8	29.7	25.5				28.3	18.7	31.7	26.6				27.9	8.1	20.1	32.9	14.6	19.5	51.8	51.8				29.6	18.1	24.1	68.8	68.8	$10,609	$2,094	$8,515

Frequently Asked Questions about Paragould Junior High

Is Paragould Junior High a good school?

Paragould Junior High ranks 204^th of 335 Arkansas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Paragould Junior High in?

Paragould School District

What high school do graduates of Paragould Junior High attend?

Students who attend Paragould Junior High usually go on to attend Paragould High School

What is the racial makeup of Paragould Junior High?

Students at Paragould Junior High are 72% White, 9% African American, 9% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 3% Pacific Islander.

How many students attend Paragould Junior High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 481 students attended Paragould Junior High.

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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.