Dunbar Magnet Middle School

Summary:

Dunbar Magnet Middle School is a public magnet middle school in Little Rock, Arkansas, serving grades 6-8 with an enrollment of 320 students. Despite being a magnet school, Dunbar significantly underperforms other middle schools in the Little Rock School District, ranking in the bottom 10-15% of Arkansas middle schools over the past several years.

Dunbar Magnet Middle School has consistently low test scores, with only 7.6% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and just 3.3% proficient in math, compared to 26.1% and 23.4% respectively in the district. The school also has extremely high rates of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, ranging from 90-100%, indicating a very high-poverty student population. Despite spending $13,870 per student, which is higher than nearby schools, and having a relatively low student-teacher ratio, Dunbar's academic performance remains significantly behind its peers, including non-magnet schools like Cloverdale Middle School and Pulaski Heights Middle School.

The stark contrast in performance between Dunbar Magnet Middle School and higher-performing nearby schools, both district and charter, such as Lisa Academy West Middle School and the Estem schools, suggests the need for a comprehensive review of Dunbar's curriculum, instructional practices, and support systems to identify and address the root causes of the school's persistent underperformance.


Detail:

Public, Magnet 6-8

 1100 Wright Ave
       Little Rock, AR  72206


(501) 447-2600

District: Little Rock School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
327th of 335 Arkansas Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,870 Help


Students who attend Dunbar Magnet Middle School usually attend:

High:    Central High School

Feeder schools for Dunbar Magnet Middle School:

Elementary:    M.L. King Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.0 Help
Number of students:  320

Racial breakdown:

African American:
78.8%
Hispanic:
13.1%
White:
5.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  90% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Dunbar Magnet Middle School ranks worse than 97.6% of middle schools in Arkansas. It also ranks 4th among 6 ranked middle schools in the Little Rock School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 5.19. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Dunbar Magnet Middle School has the smallest middle school student body size in the Little Rock School District. Racial makeup is: African American (78.8%), Hispanic (13.1%), White (5.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 90% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Little Rock School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dunbar Magnet Middle School is 11, which is the lowest among 6 middle schools in the Little Rock School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Dunbar Magnet Middle School employs 28.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dunbar Magnet Middle School is $13,870, which is the 2nd highest among 6 middle schools in the Little Rock School District.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Dunbar Magnet Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Dunbar Magnet Middle School 327th of 335 Arkansas public middle schools. (See Dunbar Magnet Middle School in the ranking list.)

Little Rock School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Little Rock School District 189th of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Dunbar Magnet Middle School

Help
Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 41.38 133rd 208 36.1%
2006 32.03 159th 206 22.8%
2007 34.29 182nd 225 19.1%
2008 32.54 184th 223 17.5%
2009 26.74 199th 240 17.1%
2010 25.80 213th 254 16.1%
2011 25.71 224th 264 15.2%
2012 18.30 234th 265 11.7%
2013 18.77 239th 278 14.0%
2014 21.74 242nd 280 13.6%
2015 26.60 215th 275 21.8%
2016 13.51 290th 312 7.1%
2017 19.85 268th 315 14.9%
2018 8.19 296th 318 6.9%
2019 5.47 304th 319 4.7%
2021 5.13 314th 330 4.8%
2022 5.39 306th 318 3.8%
2023 3.15 326th 330 1.2%
2024 5.19 327th 335 2.4%
See the entire list of Arkansas Middle School Rankings!

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

Dunbar Magnet Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    






Data source: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for Dunbar Magnet Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 215 463 4 0 0 n/a n/a 0 682
1989 141 600 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 741
1990 121 454 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 576
1991 236 423 2 0 2 n/a n/a 0 663
1992 263 420 8 0 0 n/a n/a 0 691
1993 283 410 11 0 0 n/a n/a 0 704
1994 251 439 10 1 0 n/a n/a 0 701
1995 279 440 6 7 0 n/a n/a 0 732
1996 279 440 6 7 0 n/a n/a 0 732
1997 299 451 11 13 1 n/a n/a 0 775
1998 291 442 14 23 1 n/a n/a 0 771
1999 266 435 17 20 2 n/a n/a 0 740
2000 249 447 25 18 0 n/a n/a 0 739
2001 253 441 26 23 3 n/a n/a 0 746
2002 233 431 34 30 3 n/a n/a 0 731
2003 233 431 34 30 3 n/a n/a 0 731
2004 249 439 33 35 1 n/a n/a 0 757
2005 223 453 25 45 1 n/a n/a 0 747
2006 218 531 18 43 1 n/a n/a 0 811
2007 203 590 6 45 1 n/a n/a 0 845
2008 188 642 7 40 0 n/a n/a 0 877
2009 104 620 7 36 0 n/a n/a 0 767
2010 81 647 10 34 1 0 0 0 773
2011 84 700 11 40 1 0 8 0 844
2012 65 679 7 53 3 0 7 0 814
2013 54 615 4 56 3 0 3 0 735
2014 45 551 2 64 5 0 2 0 669
2015 48 671 3 62 1 0 1 0 786
2016 42 573 5 63 2 0 3 0 688
2017 31 559 4 51 1 0 3 0 649
2018 26 454 2 46 1 1 5 0 535
2019 30 461 1 65 1 0 3 0 561
2020 24 453 1 72 1 0 6 0 557
2021 29 365 1 76 1 0 5 0 477
2022 38 476 11 90 4 0 7 0 626
2023 19 252 1 42 4 1 1 0 320

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 Dunbar Magnet Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 682 45.0 15.1 n/a
1989 741 46.0 16.1 n/a
1990 576 39.0 14.7 50.2
1991 663 40.8 16.2 59.3
1992 691 45.1 15.3 40.8
1993 704 38.8 18.1 30.5
1994 701 45.6 15.4 35.9
1995 732 42.1 17.4 34.7
1996 732 42.1 17.4 34.7
1997 775 49.1 15.8 36.3
1998 771 49.1 15.7 35.3
1999 740 47.5 15.6 42
2000 739 65.0 11.4 52.4
2001 746 64.0 11.7 54.7
2002 731 52.0 14.1 53.1
2003 731 52.0 14.1 53.1
2004 757 52.0 14.6 48.9
2005 747 55.0 13.6 56.6
2006 811 59.0 13.7 59.8
2007 845 60.0 14.1 59.6
2008 877 62.0 14.1 63.7
2009 767 62.0 12.4 68.6
2010 773 58.1 14.3 76.5
2011 844 58.1 14.5 78.1
2012 814 57.6 14.1 81
2013 735 58.3 12.5 81.4
2014 669 58.3 11.4 85.1
2015 786 69.0 11.3 88.2
2016 688 67.0 10.2 99.6
2017 649 65.2 9.9 34.8
2018 535 47.9 11.1 29.2
2019 561 41.9 13.3 91.1
2020 557 43.9 12.6 100
2021 477 44.7 10.6 100
2022 626 49.7 12.5 100
2023 320 28.9 11.0 90

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 Dunbar Magnet Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 682 45.0 15.1 n/a
1989 741 46.0 16.1 n/a
1990 576 39.0 14.7 50.2
1991 663 40.8 16.2 59.3
1992 691 45.1 15.3 40.8
1993 704 38.8 18.1 30.5
1994 701 45.6 15.4 35.9
1995 732 42.1 17.4 34.7
1996 732 42.1 17.4 34.7
1997 775 49.1 15.8 36.3
1998 771 49.1 15.7 35.3
1999 740 47.5 15.6 42
2000 739 65.0 11.4 52.4
2001 746 64.0 11.7 54.7
2002 731 52.0 14.1 53.1
2003 731 52.0 14.1 53.1
2004 757 52.0 14.6 48.9
2005 747 55.0 13.6 56.6
2006 811 59.0 13.7 59.8
2007 845 60.0 14.1 59.6
2008 877 62.0 14.1 63.7
2009 767 62.0 12.4 68.6
2010 773 58.1 14.3 76.5
2011 844 58.1 14.5 78.1
2012 814 57.6 14.1 81
2013 735 58.3 12.5 81.4
2014 669 58.3 11.4 85.1
2015 786 69.0 11.3 88.2
2016 688 67.0 10.2 99.6
2017 649 65.2 9.9 34.8
2018 535 47.9 11.1 29.2
2019 561 41.9 13.3 91.1
2020 557 43.9 12.6 100
2021 477 44.7 10.6 100
2022 626 49.7 12.5 100
2023 320 28.9 11.0 90

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 Dunbar Magnet Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $2,224 (16.0%) $11,646 (84.0%) $13,870

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dunbar Magnet Middle School

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 304th of 319 Middle schoolsRanks 326th of 330 Middle schools
 3.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English (Dunbar Magnet Middle School)51.637
 14.6%
   6th Grade English (Little Rock School District)60.351.3
 9%
   6th Grade English (Arkansas)72.867.6
 5.2%
6th Grade Math (Dunbar Magnet Middle School)22.55.4
 17.1%
   6th Grade Math (Little Rock School District)36.421.8
 14.6%
   6th Grade Math (Arkansas)53.747
 6.7%
6th Grade Science (Dunbar Magnet Middle School)18.89.8
 9%
   6th Grade Science (Little Rock School District)31.426.8
 4.6%
   6th Grade Science (Arkansas)45.840.3
 5.5%
6th Grade Reading (Dunbar Magnet Middle School)18.813.1
 5.7%
   6th Grade Reading (Little Rock School District)32.129.4
 2.7%
   6th Grade Reading (Arkansas)43.139
 4.1%
7th Grade English (Dunbar Magnet Middle School)56.250
 6.2%
   7th Grade English (Little Rock School District)67.161.4
 5.7%
   7th Grade English (Arkansas)78.375.1
 3.2%
7th Grade Math (Dunbar Magnet Middle School)13.25.6
 7.6%
   7th Grade Math (Little Rock School District)33.621.2
 12.4%
   7th Grade Math (Arkansas)47.739.6
 8.1%
7th Grade Science (Dunbar Magnet Middle School)15.34.8
 10.5%
   7th Grade Science (Little Rock School District)3126.8
 4.2%
   7th Grade Science (Arkansas)4338.5
 4.5%
7th Grade Reading (Dunbar Magnet Middle School)11.88.7
 3.1%
   7th Grade Reading (Little Rock School District)28.226.8
 1.4%
   7th Grade Reading (Arkansas)39.234.2
 5%
8th Grade English (Dunbar Magnet Middle School)5643.8
 12.2%
   8th Grade English (Little Rock School District)62.156.5
 5.6%
   8th Grade English (Arkansas)74.169.2
 4.9%
8th Grade Math (Dunbar Magnet Middle School)23.23.3
 19.9%
   8th Grade Math (Little Rock School District)34.423.1
 11.3%
   8th Grade Math (Arkansas)47.737.9
 9.8%
8th Grade Science (Dunbar Magnet Middle School)16.39.1
 7.2%
   8th Grade Science (Little Rock School District)27.925.6
 2.3%
   8th Grade Science (Arkansas)42.536.1
 6.4%
8th Grade Reading (Dunbar Magnet Middle School)28.621.5
 7.1%
   8th Grade Reading (Little Rock School District)4140.4
 0.6%
   8th Grade Reading (Arkansas)53.150.8
 2.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students561320
 43%
African American461252
 45.3%
American Indian14
 300%
Asian11
Hispanic6542
 35.4%
Pacific Islander01
White3019
 36.7%
Two or More Races31
 66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients91.1%90%
 1.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Dunbar Magnet Middle School

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

Dunbar Magnet Middle School ranks in the bottom 2.4% of Arkansas middle schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 320 students attended Dunbar Magnet Middle School.

Students at Dunbar Magnet Middle School are 79% African American, 13% Hispanic, 6% White, 1% American Indian.


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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.





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