Dothan City

The Dothan City school district in Alabama consists of 14 schools, including 11 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 2 high schools, and 1 virtual school. The district serves a diverse student population, with some schools having majority African American enrollment and others having more racially mixed student bodies. While the district faces challenges with high poverty rates and uneven academic performance, a few standout schools like Carver School of Mathematics Science and Technology and Highlands Elementary School demonstrate that high levels of student achievement are possible with the right resources and strategies.

The data reveals significant disparities in academic performance between the highest-performing and lowest-performing schools in the district. Schools with the highest percentages of students in poverty, as measured by free/reduced lunch rates, tend to have the lowest test scores, highlighting the challenges that high-poverty schools face. However, the success of Carver and Highlands suggests that with the right support, even schools serving economically disadvantaged populations can achieve exceptional results.

The district's virtual school, Dothan City Virtual School, lags behind the district averages on test scores, indicating that virtual education may not be meeting the needs of all students in the area. Overall, the Dothan City school district faces significant challenges, but the presence of high-performing schools like Carver and Highlands provides hope that with the right interventions, all students in the district can receive a quality education.