Hot Springs Junior Academy

Q: Is Hot Springs Junior Academy a good school?

Hot Springs Junior Academy ranks 238 th of 335 Arkansas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Hot Springs Junior Academy is a public magnet charter middle school serving 815 students in grades 7-9 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which is part of the Hot Springs School District.

Despite spending $11,347 per student, which is higher than nearby schools, Hot Springs Junior Academy has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Arkansas middle schools over the past decade, with proficiency rates significantly below state averages. In 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates were just 23.6% in English Language Arts, 18.5% in Mathematics, and 27.1% in Science, compared to state averages of 33.8%, 36.4%, and 35.6%, respectively. This poor performance is likely due to the school's very high poverty rates, with 99.88% to 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch over the past three years.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Fountain Lake Middle School Cobra Digital Prep Academy, which is only 7.72 miles away and has significantly higher proficiency rates and a much higher ranking (134th out of 335 schools), it becomes clear that Hot Springs Junior Academy is an outlier in terms of academic performance. This raises concerns about the overall quality of education in the Hot Springs School District, which is ranked 183 out of 252 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Detail:

Public, Magnet, Charter 7-9

701 Main St
Hot Springs, AR 71913

(501) 624-5228

District: Hot Springs School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
238^th of 335 Arkansas Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,347

Students who attend Hot Springs Junior Academy usually attend:

High:

Hot Springs World Class High School

Feeder schools for Hot Springs Junior Academy:

Elementary:	Langston Elementary Leadership Academy Magnet School
	Main Street Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School
	Park Magnet An Ib Pyp World Class School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.3

Number of students: 815

Racial breakdown:

African American:

37.1%

White:

30.3%

Hispanic:

20.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated Arkansas middle schools

Compare Hot Springs Junior Academy to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Hot Springs Junior Academy ranks worse than 71% of middle schools in Arkansas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.09. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Hot Springs Junior Academy is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (37.1%), White (30.3%), Hispanic (20.6%). (See more...)

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

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Hot Springs Junior Academy is 13.3. (See more...)

Compare Hot Springs Junior Academy employs 60.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hot Springs Junior Academy is $11,347.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Hot Springs Junior Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Hot Springs Junior Academy 238^th of 335 Arkansas public middle schools. (See Hot Springs Junior Academy in the ranking list.)

Hot Springs School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Hot Springs School District 183^rd of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Hot Springs Junior Academy

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AR State Percentile
2005	53.50	107^th	208	48.6%
2006	42.22	140^th	206	32.0%
2007	49.78	131^st	225	41.8%
2008	39.06	161^st	223	27.8%
2009	27.59	198^th	240	17.5%
2010	28.49	209^th	254	17.7%
2011	34.20	202^nd	264	23.5%
2012	27.11	222^nd	265	16.2%
2013	17.85	243^rd	278	12.6%
2014	16.98	252^nd	280	10.0%
2015	23.72	223^rd	275	18.9%
2016	34.40	229^th	312	26.6%
2017	29.01	246^th	315	21.9%
2019	27.24	249^th	319	21.9%
2021	32.38	242^nd	330	26.7%
2022	28.71	247^th	318	22.3%
2023	27.51	261^st	330	20.9%
2024	32.09	238^th	335	29.0%

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

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Enrollment information for Hot Springs Junior Academy

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	412	189	0	1	2	n/a	n/a	604
1989	352	185	2	3	n/a	n/a	n/a	542
1990	328	189	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	524
1991	182	87	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	273
1992	157	98	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	260
1993	473	351	3	7	0	n/a	n/a	834
1994	481	347	2	6	1	n/a	n/a	837
1995	471	303	2	13	2	n/a	n/a	791
1996	471	303	2	13	2	n/a	n/a	791
1997	448	306	6	25	2	n/a	n/a	787
1998	402	329	3	25	1	n/a	n/a	760
1999	442	332	4	31	3	n/a	n/a	812
2000	443	331	3	31	4	n/a	n/a	812
2001	493	379	4	33	4	n/a	n/a	913
2002	449	396	5	63	4	n/a	n/a	917
2003	449	396	5	63	4	n/a	n/a	917
2004	461	385	10	57	3	n/a	n/a	916
2005	321	358	7	54	0	n/a	n/a	740
2006	314	355	7	56	0	n/a	n/a	732
2007	282	318	9	69	1	n/a	n/a	679
2008	299	302	7	63	5	n/a	n/a	676
2009	281	329	8	63	7	n/a	n/a	688
2010	178	210	4	38	3	0	1	434
2011	221	217	1	46	6	1	2	494
2012	231	212	4	47	3	2	2	501
2013	199	204	7	60	2	1	10	483
2014	188	220	7	82	2	3	14	516
2015	196	223	8	92	5	2	20	546
2016	173	218	6	85	5	0	20	507
2017	219	199	1	88	2	0	29	538
2018	200	176	3	88	3	1	30	501
2019	175	164	3	102	2	1	35	482
2020	156	162	6	112	3	0	39	478
2021	252	268	9	161	4	0	77	771
2022	246	301	7	178	4	0	84	820
2023	247	302	6	168	2	0	90	815

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 Hot Springs Junior Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	604	37.9	15.9	n/a
1989	542	40.0	13.5	n/a
1990	524	39.0	13.4	38
1991	273	18.8	14.5	43.2
1992	260	17.7	14.6	45.8
1993	834	48.7	17.1	47.5
1994	837	49.8	16.8	52.1
1995	791	47.8	16.5	58.4
1996	791	47.8	16.5	58.4
1997	787	48.2	16.3	54.3
1998	760	48.2	15.8	59.7
1999	812	24.3	33.4	56.4
2000	812	77.0	10.5	63.4
2001	913	98.0	9.3	66.6
2002	917	75.0	12.2	68.5
2003	917	75.0	12.2	68.5
2004	916	67.0	13.7	73.8
2005	740	61.0	12.1	78.8
2006	732	69.0	10.6	80.7
2007	679	65.0	10.4	88.1
2008	676	60.0	11.3	78.6
2009	688	60.0	11.5	76.7
2010	434	49.1	9.8	75.3
2011	494	41.9	11.7	77.7
2012	501	41.6	12.0	81.6
2013	483	41.7	11.5	82
2014	516	49.9	10.3	79.8
2015	546	51.0	10.7	78.8
2016	507	49.0	10.3	72
2017	538	44.8	12.0	37.2
2018	501	43.0	11.6	58.7
2019	482	42.9	11.2	100
2020	478	38.2	12.4	100
2021	771	53.5	14.4	100
2022	820	61.5	13.3	99.9
2023	815	60.8	13.3	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 Hot Springs Junior Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	604	37.9	15.9	n/a
1989	542	40.0	13.5	n/a
1990	524	39.0	13.4	38
1991	273	18.8	14.5	43.2
1992	260	17.7	14.6	45.8
1993	834	48.7	17.1	47.5
1994	837	49.8	16.8	52.1
1995	791	47.8	16.5	58.4
1996	791	47.8	16.5	58.4
1997	787	48.2	16.3	54.3
1998	760	48.2	15.8	59.7
1999	812	24.3	33.4	56.4
2000	812	77.0	10.5	63.4
2001	913	98.0	9.3	66.6
2002	917	75.0	12.2	68.5
2003	917	75.0	12.2	68.5
2004	916	67.0	13.7	73.8
2005	740	61.0	12.1	78.8
2006	732	69.0	10.6	80.7
2007	679	65.0	10.4	88.1
2008	676	60.0	11.3	78.6
2009	688	60.0	11.5	76.7
2010	434	49.1	9.8	75.3
2011	494	41.9	11.7	77.7
2012	501	41.6	12.0	81.6
2013	483	41.7	11.5	82
2014	516	49.9	10.3	79.8
2015	546	51.0	10.7	78.8
2016	507	49.0	10.3	72
2017	538	44.8	12.0	37.2
2018	501	43.0	11.6	58.7
2019	482	42.9	11.2	100
2020	478	38.2	12.4	100
2021	771	53.5	14.4	100
2022	820	61.5	13.3	99.9
2023	815	60.8	13.3	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 Hot Springs Junior Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,448 (21.6%)	$8,899 (78.4%)	$11,347

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hot Springs Junior Academy

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 249^th of 319 Middle schools	Ranks 261^st of 330 Middle schools	1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English (Hot Springs Junior Academy)	71.5	65.6	5.9%
7th Grade English (Hot Springs School District)	71.5	65.6	5.9%
7th Grade English (Arkansas)	78.3	75.1	3.2%
7th Grade Math (Hot Springs Junior Academy)	36	28.8	7.2%
7th Grade Math (Hot Springs School District)	36	28.8	7.2%
7th Grade Math (Arkansas)	47.7	39.6	8.1%
7th Grade Science (Hot Springs Junior Academy)	26.7	29.1	2.4%
7th Grade Science (Hot Springs School District)	26.7	29.1	2.4%
7th Grade Science (Arkansas)	43	38.5	4.5%
7th Grade Reading (Hot Springs Junior Academy)	29.8	26.1	3.7%
7th Grade Reading (Hot Springs School District)	29.8	26.1	3.7%
7th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	39.2	34.2	5%
8th Grade English (Hot Springs Junior Academy)	65.2	53.3	11.9%
8th Grade English (Hot Springs School District)	65.2	53.3	11.9%
8th Grade English (Arkansas)	74.1	69.2	4.9%
8th Grade Math (Hot Springs Junior Academy)	31.2	20.3	10.9%
8th Grade Math (Hot Springs School District)	31.2	20.3	10.9%
8th Grade Math (Arkansas)	47.7	37.9	9.8%
8th Grade Science (Hot Springs Junior Academy)	31.2	25	6.2%
8th Grade Science (Hot Springs School District)	31.2	25	6.2%
8th Grade Science (Arkansas)	42.5	36.1	6.4%
8th Grade Reading (Hot Springs Junior Academy)	44.6	44.7	0.1%
8th Grade Reading (Hot Springs School District)	44.6	44.7	0.1%
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	482	815	69.1%
African American	164	302	84.1%
American Indian	2	2
Asian	3	6	100%
Hispanic	102	168	64.7%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	175	247	41.1%
Two or More Races	35	90	157.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Hot Springs Junior Academy

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 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 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 5th Grade	ATLAS Reading 6th Grade	ATLAS Reading 7th Grade	ATLAS Reading 8th Grade	ATLAS Reading 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	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 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
Hot Springs Junior Academy	Public, Magnet, Charter	7-9	701 Main St	Hot Springs	71913	Garland County	Hot Springs School District	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(501) 624-5228	815	61	13.3	100.0%	247 (30.3%)	302 (37.1%)	168 (20.6%)	6 (0.7%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	90 (11.0%)	32.1	238^th of 335 public middle schools	29.0%		27.5	261^st of 330 public middle schools	20.9%	23			21.5	25.6	23.7	23.6			24.1	26.2	26.3	25.6			22.6	13.2	18.5	58.7	6.4	18.1			26.8	27.3	27.1	70.0	70.0	$11,347	$2,448	$8,899
Lakeside Junior High School	Public	7-8	2839 Malvern Ave	Hot Springs	71901	Garland County	Lakeside School Dist(Garland)	No	No	No	No	(501) 770-1120	557	39	14.4	47.4%	394 (70.7%)	46 (8.3%)	70 (12.6%)	10 (1.8%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (6.3%)	83.7	33^rd of 335 public middle schools	90.1%		83.6	33^rd of 330 public middle schools	90.0%				39.3	42.7		40.9			41.5	45.1		43.1			59.3	47.2	55.2	72.8		72.8			51.0	52.4	51.7
Lakeside Middle School	Public	5-6	1110 S Lakeshore Dr	Hot Springs	71901	Garland County	Lakeside School Dist(Garland)	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 262-6244	553	41	13.5	51.7%	389 (70.3%)	46 (8.3%)	65 (11.8%)	15 (2.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (6.5%)								(n/a)	34.0	51.8				42.9	35.7	50.6				43.2	46.9	68.1			57.5				26.2	45.4			35.8			$8,076	$889	$7,187
Fountain Lake Middle School Cobra Digital Prep Academy	Public, Charter	5-8	4207 Park Ave	Hot Springs	71901	Garland County	Fountain Lake School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 701-1730	429	40	10.7	44.1%	362 (84.4%)	1 (0.2%)	45 (10.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.4%)	54.4	134^th of 335 public middle schools	60.0%		62.3	114^th of 330 public middle schools	65.5%	20	33.0	29.8	28.5	38.4		32.5	32.6	28.8	26.3	39.4		32.0	40.9	34.0	37.9	42.1	38.5	64.3		64.3	33.7	23.7	35.8	42.3	34.0			$8,891	$1,067	$7,824
Lake Hamilton Middle School	Public	6-7	120 Wolf St	Pearcy	71964	Garland County	Lake Hamilton School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 767-3355	631	38	16.6	65.5%	494 (78.3%)	27 (4.3%)	73 (11.6%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (4.9%)	64.3	90^th of 335 public middle schools	73.1%		66.9	93^rd of 330 public middle schools	71.8%	3		35.8	34.9			35.3		35.7	37.1			36.4		37.1	35.8		36.5					45.6	43.7		44.6			$8,400	$1,142	$7,258
Bismarck Middle School	Public	5-8	11636 Hwy 84	Bismarck	71929	Hot Spring County	Bismarck School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 865-4888	321	26	12.2	70.1%	292 (91.0%)	3 (0.9%)	20 (6.2%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	62.5	95^th of 335 public middle schools	71.6%		76.2	60^th of 330 public middle schools	81.8%	35	39.2	18.2	43.0	49.4		38.4	41.9	18.2	39.8	49.4		38.1	50.0	15.1	40.9	53.6	39.8	71.4		71.4	60.8	30.3	37.6	46.8	43.9			$8,831	$1,144	$7,687
Jessieville Middle School	Public	6-8	7900 N Hwy 7	Jessieville	71949	Garland County	Jessieville School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 984-5610	205	17	11.9	98.5%	179 (87.3%)	4 (2.0%)	9 (4.4%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (5.4%)	59	110^th of 335 public middle schools	67.2%		53.2	165^th of 330 public middle schools	50.0%	55		46.0	22.6	40.3		35.6		46.0	22.5	43.5		36.8		36.0	25.8	25.6	29.0	36.8		36.8		50.0	35.5	41.9	41.9			$10,354	$1,799	$8,554
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	256	18	14.1	75.0%	124 (48.4%)	74 (28.9%)	29 (11.3%)	3 (1.2%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (9.8%)								(n/a)	27.1	27.8				27.5	29.2	30.4				29.7	15.2	18.0			16.5				21.2	21.3			21.2			$9,918	$1,457	$8,461
Malvern Middle School	Public	7-8	1910 Sulton St	Malvern	72104	Hot Spring County	Malvern School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 332-7530	299	25	11.9	74.9%	155 (51.8%)	81 (27.1%)	31 (10.4%)	2 (0.7%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (9.4%)	29.5	254^th of 335 public middle schools	24.2%		23.4	274^th of 330 public middle schools	17.0%	20			20.0	20.5		20.2			24.3	18.1		21.2			30.6	13.0	22.8	63.4		63.4			31.4	21.0	26.1			$11,853	$1,488	$10,365
Glen Rose Middle School	Public	5-8	14334 Hwy 67	Malvern	72104	Hot Spring County	Glen Rose School District	No	No	No	No	(501) 332-3694	308	24	12.9	50.6%	277 (89.9%)	2 (0.6%)	13 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.5%)	44.6	189^th of 335 public middle schools	43.6%		47.2	189^th of 330 public middle schools	42.7%		26.0	25.4	19.7	30.4		25.4	27.3	27.0	22.1	32.6		27.3	28.6	39.7	39.5	26.4	33.7	71.4		71.4	28.6	27.0	30.2	34.8	30.5			$7,040	$353	$6,687

Frequently Asked Questions about Hot Springs Junior Academy

What district is Hot Springs Junior Academy in?

Hot Springs School District

How many students attend Hot Springs Junior Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 815 students attended Hot Springs Junior Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Hot Springs Junior Academy?

Students at Hot Springs Junior Academy are 37% African American, 30% White, 21% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races.

Is Hot Springs Junior Academy a good school?

Hot Springs Junior Academy ranks 238^th of 335 Arkansas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What high school do graduates of Hot Springs Junior Academy attend?

Students who attend Hot Springs Junior Academy usually go on to attend Hot Springs World Class High School

Rate Hot Springs Junior Academy!

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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.