Helen Tyson Middle School

Q: Is Helen Tyson Middle School a good school?

Helen Tyson Middle School ranks 206 th of 335 Arkansas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Helen Tyson Middle School is a public middle school serving 786 students in grades 6-7 in Springdale, Arkansas, which is part of the Springdale School District. While the school has a higher spending per student compared to the district and state averages, its academic performance is notably lower, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Reading, and Science significantly below the district and state levels.

Helen Tyson Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Arkansas middle schools, receiving a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years, which is lower than the district's overall 2-star rating. The school also serves a very high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, with 81.48% to 83.59% of its students receiving free or reduced-price lunch over the past three school years. This raises concerns about equity and the school's ability to provide adequate support and resources for its student population.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Hellstern Middle School, which is only 3 miles away, Helen Tyson Middle School performs significantly worse, with Hellstern consistently ranking in the top 10% of Arkansas middle schools and having much higher proficiency rates across all subjects. The declining performance of Helen Tyson Middle School over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 43 out of 275 in 2014-2015 to 206 out of 335 in 2023-2024, suggests that the school may be facing challenges in maintaining or improving student outcomes.

Detail:

Public 6-7

3304 S 40th
Springdale, AR 72762

(479) 750-8720

District: Springdale School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
206^th of 335 Arkansas Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,648

Students who attend Helen Tyson Middle School usually attend:

High:

Har-Ber High School

Feeder schools for Helen Tyson Middle School:

Elementary:	Elmdale Elementary School
	John Tyson Elementary School
	Walker Elementary School
	Westwood Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.5

Number of students: 786

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

59.0%

White:

20.5%

Pacific Islander:

14.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 83.6%

See top rated Arkansas middle schools

Compare Helen Tyson Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Helen Tyson Middle School ranks worse than 61.5% of middle schools in Arkansas. It also ranks 2^nd among 4 ranked middle schools in the Springdale School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.87. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Helen Tyson Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Springdale School District. Student population at Helen Tyson Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (59%), White (20.5%), Pacific Islander (14%). (See more...)

Compare Details 83.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Helen Tyson Middle School is 13.5, which is the highest among 4 middle schools in the Springdale School District! (See more...)

Compare Helen Tyson Middle School employs 57.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Helen Tyson Middle School is $10,648, which is the highest among 4 middle schools in the Springdale School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Helen Tyson Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Helen Tyson Middle School 206^th of 335 Arkansas public middle schools. (See Helen Tyson Middle School in the ranking list.)

Springdale School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Springdale School District 145^th of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Helen Tyson Middle School?

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Rank History for Helen Tyson Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AR State Percentile
2005	69.01	58^th	208	72.1%
2006	47.39	121^st	206	41.3%
2007	48.85	136^th	225	39.6%
2008	37.27	171^st	223	23.3%
2009	32.67	186^th	240	22.5%
2010	52.06	140^th	254	44.9%
2011	49.08	164^th	264	37.9%
2012	60.79	118^th	265	55.5%
2013	76.32	39^th	278	86.0%
2014	70.41	73^rd	280	73.9%
2015	73.99	43^rd	275	84.4%
2016	58.08	127^th	312	59.3%
2017	57.94	132^nd	315	58.1%
2018	48.22	174^th	318	45.3%
2019	53.08	153^rd	319	52.0%
2021	47.27	188^th	330	43.0%
2022	39.56	210^th	318	34.0%
2023	43.78	202^nd	330	38.8%
2024	39.87	206^th	335	38.5%

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 Helen Tyson Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1995	433	0	4	16	1	n/a	n/a	454
1996	433	0	4	16	1	n/a	n/a	454
1997	893	0	14	58	11	n/a	n/a	976
1998	933	3	24	85	5	n/a	n/a	1050
1999	783	0	32	115	6	n/a	n/a	936
2000	717	5	33	149	5	n/a	n/a	909
2001	803	10	34	151	4	n/a	n/a	1002
2002	810	18	43	204	7	n/a	n/a	1082
2003	810	18	43	204	7	n/a	n/a	1082
2004	842	21	41	227	2	n/a	n/a	1133
2005	839	27	49	251	2	n/a	n/a	1168
2006	326	19	19	235	2	n/a	n/a	601
2007	287	22	24	255	1	n/a	n/a	589
2008	367	18	50	374	3	n/a	n/a	812
2009	413	11	74	398	4	n/a	n/a	900
2010	386	20	21	452	9	63	14	965
2011	378	28	15	461	9	77	12	980
2012	376	27	12	506	9	94	14	1038
2013	258	18	16	334	5	36	14	681
2014	258	15	15	340	3	49	18	698
2015	260	14	16	370	3	67	21	751
2016	224	18	16	359	3	78	18	716
2017	224	17	18	380	3	86	14	742
2018	236	18	18	433	2	108	13	828
2019	192	18	15	395	2	80	13	715
2020	183	18	8	423	4	90	9	735
2021	159	9	9	378	2	80	11	648
2022	164	23	7	451	5	106	13	769
2023	161	21	5	464	4	110	21	786

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 Helen Tyson Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	454	22.1	20.5	18.9
1996	454	22.1	20.5	18.9
1997	976	46.8	20.9	17.6
1998	1050	46.8	22.4	21.5
1999	936	35.8	26.1	26.2
2000	909	63.0	14.4	36.3
2001	1002	55.0	18.2	32
2002	1082	57.0	19.0	36.7
2003	1082	57.0	19.0	36.7
2004	1133	63.0	18.0	38.9
2005	1168	67.0	17.4	40.2
2006	601	46.0	13.1	54.9
2007	589	46.0	12.8	60.6
2008	812	55.0	14.8	62.2
2009	900	60.0	15.0	63.7
2010	965	65.3	14.4	68.9
2011	980	66.8	14.6	70.4
2012	1038	68.1	15.2	72
2013	681	57.1	11.9	67.3
2014	698	57.8	12.0	72.3
2015	751	60.0	12.5	74.3
2016	716	57.0	12.5	72.9
2017	742	61.1	12.1	49.5
2018	828	66.1	12.5	52.7
2019	715	60.4	11.8	77.3
2020	735	63.4	11.5	79.2
2021	648	64.4	10.0	81.5
2022	769	62.4	12.3	81.5
2023	786	57.9	13.5	83.6

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 Helen Tyson Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	454	22.1	20.5	18.9
1996	454	22.1	20.5	18.9
1997	976	46.8	20.9	17.6
1998	1050	46.8	22.4	21.5
1999	936	35.8	26.1	26.2
2000	909	63.0	14.4	36.3
2001	1002	55.0	18.2	32
2002	1082	57.0	19.0	36.7
2003	1082	57.0	19.0	36.7
2004	1133	63.0	18.0	38.9
2005	1168	67.0	17.4	40.2
2006	601	46.0	13.1	54.9
2007	589	46.0	12.8	60.6
2008	812	55.0	14.8	62.2
2009	900	60.0	15.0	63.7
2010	965	65.3	14.4	68.9
2011	980	66.8	14.6	70.4
2012	1038	68.1	15.2	72
2013	681	57.1	11.9	67.3
2014	698	57.8	12.0	72.3
2015	751	60.0	12.5	74.3
2016	716	57.0	12.5	72.9
2017	742	61.1	12.1	49.5
2018	828	66.1	12.5	52.7
2019	715	60.4	11.8	77.3
2020	735	63.4	11.5	79.2
2021	648	64.4	10.0	81.5
2022	769	62.4	12.3	81.5
2023	786	57.9	13.5	83.6

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 Helen Tyson Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,643 (15.4%)	$9,005 (84.6%)	$10,648

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Helen Tyson 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 153^rd of 319 Middle schools	Ranks 202^nd of 330 Middle schools	13.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English (Helen Tyson Middle School)	68.2	62.2	6%
6th Grade English (Springdale School District)	66.1	67	0.9%
6th Grade English (Arkansas)	72.8	67.6	5.2%
6th Grade Math (Helen Tyson Middle School)	69.2	48.2	21%
6th Grade Math (Springdale School District)	59.4	53.7	5.7%
6th Grade Math (Arkansas)	53.7	47	6.7%
6th Grade Science (Helen Tyson Middle School)	44.8	31.3	13.5%
6th Grade Science (Springdale School District)	38.9	37.4	1.5%
6th Grade Science (Arkansas)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
6th Grade Reading (Helen Tyson Middle School)	37.9	29.7	8.2%
6th Grade Reading (Springdale School District)	38.1	35.8	2.3%
6th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	43.1	39	4.1%
7th Grade English (Helen Tyson Middle School)	80.9	73.3	7.6%
7th Grade English (Springdale School District)	76.5	74.5	2%
7th Grade English (Arkansas)	78.3	75.1	3.2%
7th Grade Math (Helen Tyson Middle School)	53.1	45.5	7.6%
7th Grade Math (Springdale School District)	49.6	41.8	7.8%
7th Grade Math (Arkansas)	47.7	39.6	8.1%
7th Grade Science (Helen Tyson Middle School)	41.5	31.3	10.2%
7th Grade Science (Springdale School District)	41.1	35.4	5.7%
7th Grade Science (Arkansas)	43	38.5	4.5%
7th Grade Reading (Helen Tyson Middle School)	31.1	26.5	4.6%
7th Grade Reading (Springdale School District)	35.5	31	4.5%
7th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	39.2	34.2	5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	715	786	9.9%
African American	18	21	16.7%
American Indian	2	4	100%
Asian	15	5	66.7%
Hispanic	395	464	17.5%
Pacific Islander	80	110	37.5%
White	192	161	16.1%
Two or More Races	13	21	61.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	77.3%	83.6%	6.2%

Schools Near Helen Tyson Middle School

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 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 7th Grade	ATLAS Algebra 8th Grade	ATLAS Algebra 9th Grade	ATLAS Algebra All Grades	ATLAS Geometry 8th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 9th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 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
Helen Tyson Middle School	Public	6-7	3304 S 40th	Springdale	72762	Washington County	Springdale School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 750-8720	786	58	13.5	83.6%	161 (20.5%)	21 (2.7%)	464 (59.0%)	5 (0.6%)	4 (0.5%)	110 (14.0%)	21 (2.7%)	39.9	206^th of 335 public middle schools	38.5%		43.8	202^nd of 330 public middle schools	38.8%	4		23.7	26.9			25.3		25.0	27.2			26.1		27.4	43.7		35.7									25.2	32.1		28.7			$10,648	$1,643	$9,005
Hellstern Middle School	Public	6-7	7771 Har Ber Ave	Springdale	72762	Washington County	Springdale School District	No	No	No	No	(479) 750-8725	781	65	12.0	43.1%	457 (58.5%)	27 (3.5%)	224 (28.7%)	14 (1.8%)	2 (0.3%)	36 (4.6%)	21 (2.7%)	85.2	29^th of 335 public middle schools	91.3%		85.3	29^th of 330 public middle schools	91.2%			48.0	40.8			44.3		47.7	39.1			43.3		50.6	55.3		53.0									54.9	55.8		55.3			$8,631	$965	$7,667
J. O. Kelly Middle School	Public	6-7	1879 E Robinson	Springdale	72764	Washington County	Springdale School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 750-8730	564	55	10.2	92.0%	50 (8.9%)	10 (1.8%)	348 (61.7%)	5 (0.9%)	2 (0.4%)	141 (25.0%)	8 (1.4%)	16.6	297^th of 335 public middle schools	11.3%		19	281^st of 330 public middle schools	14.8%	16		21.2	13.4			17.5		21.5	13.1			17.5		22.8	19.1		21.1									15.7	16.5		16.0			$9,807	$1,896	$7,911
Holt Middle School	Public	5-6	2365 N Rupple Rd	Fayetteville	72704	Washington County	Fayetteville School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 527-3670	525	30	17.3	47.6%	284 (54.1%)	74 (14.1%)	86 (16.4%)	19 (3.6%)	2 (0.4%)	13 (2.5%)	47 (9.0%)								(n/a)	49.4	38.5				43.3	50.5	39.9				44.5	43.8	52.6			48.8								47.4	40.0			43.2			$11,444	$1,920	$9,523
Woodland Junior High School	Public	7-8	1 E Poplar St	Fayetteville	72703	Washington County	Fayetteville School District	No	No	No	No	(479) 444-3067	752	54	13.9	26.5%	544 (72.3%)	63 (8.4%)	60 (8.0%)	21 (2.8%)	5 (0.7%)	9 (1.2%)	50 (6.6%)	92.6	15^th of 335 public middle schools	95.5%		90.8	13^th of 330 public middle schools	96.1%	2			48.4	49.4		48.9			47.3	49.4		48.3			68.8	49.2	61.9		90.4		90.8	100.0		100.0			67.2	56.9	62.1			$11,165	$1,609	$9,556
McNair Middle School	Public	5-6	3030 E Mission Blvd	Fayetteville	72703	Washington County	Fayetteville School District	No	No	No	No	(479) 527-3660	746	44	16.9	16.6%	620 (83.1%)	16 (2.1%)	45 (6.0%)	13 (1.7%)	2 (0.3%)	6 (0.8%)	44 (5.9%)								(n/a)	61.9	63.3				62.6	61.6	61.9				61.8	64.3	71.7			68.0								64.0	59.3			61.6			$8,778	$1,040	$7,738
Ramay Junior High School	Public	7-8	401 S Sang Ave	Fayetteville	72701	Washington County	Fayetteville School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 444-3064	645	55	11.7	53.8%	307 (47.6%)	119 (18.4%)	120 (18.6%)	15 (2.3%)	5 (0.8%)	12 (1.9%)	67 (10.4%)	61	101^st of 335 public middle schools	69.9%		50.7	179^th of 330 public middle schools	45.8%	78			36.3	30.6		33.6			36.4	32.0		34.3			40.6	24.5	34.1	100.0	76.0		80.9	100.0		100.0			41.6	36.2	39.1			$12,095	$2,358	$9,738
Sonora Middle School	Public	6-7	17051 E Hwy 412	Springdale	72764	Washington County	Springdale School District	No	No	No	Yes	(479) 750-8821	632	52	12.2	85.4%	141 (22.3%)	13 (2.1%)	271 (42.9%)	9 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	188 (29.7%)	10 (1.6%)	31.2	241^st of 335 public middle schools	28.1%		23.9	271^st of 330 public middle schools	17.9%	30		20.9	19.8			20.4		20.6	19.1			19.9		24.9	36.3		30.4									30.5	30.1		30.3			$10,360	$1,899	$8,461
John L Colbert Middle School	Public	5-6	888 S. Rupple Road	Fayetteville	72704	Washington County	Fayetteville School District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(479) 718-0254	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)	35.3	29.3				32.4	34.8	27.9				31.5	36.1	34.6			35.4								37.2	27.0			32.2
Farmington Junior High School	Public	7-9	278 W Main St	Farmington	72730	Washington County	Farmington School District	No	No	No	No	(479) 266-1800	661	46	14.2	28.4%	522 (79.0%)	18 (2.7%)	62 (9.4%)	2 (0.3%)	9 (1.4%)	2 (0.3%)	46 (7.0%)	78.6	45^th of 335 public middle schools	86.6%		79.9	47^th of 330 public middle schools	85.8%	2			39.3	46.3	42.9	42.9			41.0	46.7	42.5	43.4			41.5	38.2	40.1		64.2	11.1	27.2		54.7	54.7			50.4	45.3	47.9	83.6	83.6	$8,653	$874	$7,780

Frequently Asked Questions about Helen Tyson Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Helen Tyson Middle School?

Students at Helen Tyson Middle School are 59% Hispanic, 20% White, 14% Pacific Islander, 3% African American, 3% Two or more races.

Is Helen Tyson Middle School a good school?

Helen Tyson Middle School ranks 206^th of 335 Arkansas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What high school do graduates of Helen Tyson Middle School attend?

Students who attend Helen Tyson Middle School usually go on to attend Har-Ber High School

How many students attend Helen Tyson Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 786 students attended Helen Tyson Middle School.

What district is Helen Tyson Middle School in?

Springdale School District

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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.