Enrollment
711
Arkansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Fort Smith, AR
William O. Darby Jr. High Sch.
Federal NCES profile for William O. Darby Jr. High Sch., including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 050633000360
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 10
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arkansas median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arkansas schools.
- #3 of 4
- middle schools in Fort Smith · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 75.1%
- free-lunch eligible
William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. has class sizes near the Arkansas median. Computed live against every Arkansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. ranks #3 of 4 middle schools in Fort Smith, AR.
School address
District: Fort Smith School District · Arkansas
NCES ID 050633000360 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 13.6:1 Arkansas avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.1%
vs 59.2% Arkansas avg
+27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. compares with Arkansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at William O. Darby Jr. High Sch.
William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. is a high-poverty, large middle school in Fort Smith, Arkansas, enrolling 711 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Arkansas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 75.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 711 puts it in the larger third of Arkansas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,066 scored Arkansas schools.
Against 40 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #17.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (50%) and White (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 356 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 534 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 711 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Fort Smith School District also operates Northside High School (2,231 students) and Southside High School (2,053 students) alongside William O. Darby Jr. High Sch..
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. compares
William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. on the metrics families compare, against Arkansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arkansas | Arkansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.1:1 | ▲ 11% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.1% | ▲ 27% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 711 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
711
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% above the Arkansas average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 61% in Arkansas - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
35.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,206
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arkansas avg of $12,251
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 356 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
300
in-school suspensions + 234 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 42.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 75.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 49.6%
White 29.8%
Two or More 9.7%
African American 8.9%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 49.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.8, William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. is more mixed than the Arkansas school average of 40.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fort Smith School District, which includes William O. Darby Jr. High Sch..
$12,206
Per student
0%
vs Arkansas
Avg $12,251
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.4%
State 44.3%
Federal 20.2%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ramsey Junior High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| L. a. Chaffin Jr. High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dora Kimmons Jr. High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to William O. Darby Jr. High Sch.'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,231
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 2,053
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 801
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 753
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 753
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arkansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~711 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on William O. Darby Jr. High Sch.'s federal record.
- Compare William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. against another school. Compare schools
- Fort Smith School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about William O. Darby Jr. High Sch.
How many students attend William O. Darby Jr. High Sch.?
William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. has 711 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Fort Smith, AR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at William O. Darby Jr. High Sch.?
The student-teacher ratio at William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. is 15.1:1, which is 11% higher than the Arkansas average of 13.6:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at William O. Darby Jr. High Sch.?
75.1% of students at William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arkansas average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of William O. Darby Jr. High Sch.?
The largest demographic group at William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. is Hispanic or Latino at 49.6% of enrollment, in Fort Smith, AR. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for William O. Darby Jr. High Sch.?
William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. rank among middle schools in Fort Smith?
By Resource Investment Index, William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. ranks #3 of 4 middle schools in Fort Smith, AR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Fort Smith on the city page.
Is William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. a good school?
William O. Darby Jr. High Sch. earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arkansas median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arkansas schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Fort Smith School District?
Besides William O. Darby Jr. High Sch., Fort Smith School District also operates Northside High School (2,231 students), Southside High School (2,053 students), and Ramsey Junior High School (801 students). See the Fort Smith School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.