Lowndes County

The Lowndes County school district in Alabama consists of 7 schools, including 3 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools, serving a predominantly African American student population. While the overall academic performance in the district is low, with most schools performing well below state averages, one school stands out as a potential bright spot: JacksonSteele Elementary School.

JacksonSteele Elementary has the highest statewide ranking among the elementary schools, earning a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger and significantly outperforming the Lowndes County and Alabama averages in English and Science proficiency. In contrast, the other schools in the district struggle with consistently low test scores, with proficiency rates well below state standards. The high rates of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 91.47% to 98.87%, suggest that socioeconomic factors play a significant role in the district's academic challenges.

Among the middle schools, Hayneville Middle School stands out with the highest statewide ranking and generally higher proficiency rates in Mathematics and English compared to the other middle school in the district. The high schools, Calhoun High School and Central High School, have the lowest proficiency rates in Mathematics among the high schools. Addressing the systemic challenges and learning from the success of JacksonSteele Elementary could be key to improving the overall performance of the Lowndes County school district.