Is Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle a good school?

Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle ranks 142 nd of 442 Alabama middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 364 students attended Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle?

Students at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle are 90% White, 4% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% American Indian.

What high school do graduates of Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle attend?

Students who attend Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle usually go on to attend Kate D Smith DAR High School

Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Summary:

Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle is a public middle school in Grant, Alabama, serving 364 students in grades 5-8. The school is part of the Marshall County School District, which is ranked 81 out of 137 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating.

Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle consistently outperforms the Marshall County and Alabama state averages in academic proficiency, with significantly higher rates in Mathematics and English. The school's performance on key metrics for specific student subgroups, such as Female Students and Male Students, is also generally stronger than the state averages. Over the past 10 years, the school has consistently ranked in the top half of Alabama middle schools, setting it apart from many of its peers.

When compared to nearby middle schools like Albertville Middle School, Challenger Middle School, and Mountain Gap Middle School, Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle generally outperforms these schools in academic proficiency, particularly in Mathematics and English. While the school has a strong track record, there are a few areas where it could potentially improve, such as the performance of its White student subgroup and Low Socioeconomic Status students.

Detail:

Public 5-8

6077 Main St
Grant, AL 35747

(256) 728-5950

District: Marshall County

SchoolDigger Rank:
142^nd of 442 Alabama Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,218

Students who attend Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle usually attend:

High:

Kate D Smith DAR High School

Feeder schools for Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle:

Elementary:

Kate D Smith DAR Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.3

Number of students: 364

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.4%

Hispanic:

3.6%

Two or more races:

3.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 41.5%

See top rated Alabama middle schools

Compare Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle ranks better than 67.9% of middle schools in Alabama. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 62.3. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (90.4%), Hispanic (3.6%), two or more races (3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 41.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle is 17.3. (See more...)

Compare Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle employs 21 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle is $7,218.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle 142^nd of 442 Alabama public middle schools. (See Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Marshall County:

SchoolDigger ranks Marshall County 81^st of 137 Alabama school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

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Rank History for all students at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AL State Percentile
2004	44.50	232^nd	407	43.0%
2005	66.28	102^nd	415	75.4%
2006	78.83	49^th	409	88.0%
2007	74.26	78^th	412	81.1%
2008	75.51	66^th	417	84.2%
2009	72.67	87^th	425	79.5%
2010	82.29	50^th	435	88.5%
2011	76.09	79^th	435	81.8%
2012	72.86	95^th	436	78.2%
2013	70.98	98^th	436	77.5%
2014	70.27	92^nd	438	79.0%
2015	63.61	120^th	430	72.1%
2016	56.01	175^th	432	59.5%
2017	67.03	112^th	432	74.1%
2018	72.69	97^th	423	77.1%
2019	63.34	136^th	437	68.9%
2021	57.99	155^th	440	64.8%
2022	54.52	176^th	432	59.3%
2023	59.13	154^th	437	64.8%
2024	62.30	142^nd	442	67.9%

See the entire list of Alabama Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	38.07	116^th	195	40.5%
2018	49.51	103^rd	223	53.8%
2019	31.91	183^rd	254	28.0%
2021	40.37	160^th	274	41.6%
2022	41.05	140^th	256	45.3%
2023	68.03	49^th	281	82.6%
2024	49.94	109^th	281	61.2%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	60.39	100^th	349	71.3%
2018	69.19	100^th	396	74.7%
2019	61.29	133^rd	396	66.4%
2021	58.30	147^th	415	64.6%
2022	40.08	259^th	421	38.5%
2023	38.15	257^th	410	37.3%
2024	57.15	159^th	437	63.6%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	58.15	140^th	380	63.2%
2018	73.89	80^th	392	79.6%
2019	71.21	85^th	399	78.7%
2021	66.09	102^nd	415	75.4%
2022	64.90	121^st	423	71.4%
2023	62.72	130^th	417	68.8%
2024	57.58	155^th	426	63.6%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	71.93	74^th	380	80.5%
2018	68.81	104^th	397	73.8%
2019	49.47	206^th	399	48.4%
2021	44.15	227^th	418	45.7%
2022	44.08	226^th	427	47.1%
2023	55.87	159^th	419	62.1%
2024	63.95	124^th	428	71.0%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AL State Percentile
2018	55.94	121^st	331	63.4%
2019	46.21	162^nd	343	52.8%
2021	42.90	193^rd	369	47.7%
2022	37.63	224^th	376	40.4%
2023	41.71	199^th	370	46.2%
2024	46.47	180^th	373	51.7%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Alabama State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Alabama State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1995	321	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	321
1996	321	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	321
1997	323	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	323
1998	329	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	330
1999	326	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	327
2000	327	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	327
2001	339	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	339
2002	355	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	355
2003	355	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	355
2004	366	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	366
2005	367	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	367
2006	371	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	371
2007	359	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	2	361
2008	346	1	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	350
2009	375	1	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	382
2010	379	1	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	3	391
2011	419	1	0	8	0	0	0	0	428
2012	499	3	0	7	0	0	0	0	509
2013	449	4	2	12	2	0	0	0	469
2014	414	7	2	11	2	0	3	0	439
2015	390	5	1	12	3	0	9	0	420
2016	406	3	4	12	3	0	14	0	442
2017	403	2	3	10	3	0	12	0	433
2018	395	3	5	10	4	0	16	0	433
2019	383	4	5	12	0	0	19	0	423
2020	372	3	2	12	3	0	17	0	409
2021	341	2	3	15	2	0	10	0	373
2022	337	2	1	16	4	0	11	0	371
2023	330	2	0	14	4	0	14	0	364
2024	329	2	2	13	7	0	11	0	364

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 Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	321	15.7	20.4	n/a
1996	321	15.7	20.4	n/a
1997	323	14.3	22.6	28.5
1998	330	15.4	21.4	27.9
1999	327	16.8	19.5	41
2000	327	16.0	20.4	41.3
2001	339	16.0	21.2	48.4
2002	355	16.7	21.3	43.9
2003	355	16.7	21.3	43.9
2004	366	22.0	16.6	46.4
2005	367	22.0	16.7	52
2006	371	18.0	20.6	51.2
2007	361	17.4	20.7	52.9
2008	350	17.6	19.9	50.6
2009	382	19.6	19.3	49
2010	391	33.9	11.5	49.7
2011	428	39.4	10.8	49.1
2012	509	42.5	11.9	56.4
2013	469	35.5	13.1	56.9
2014	439	23.6	18.6	54.9
2015	420	21.0	20.0	58.8
2016	442	18.0	24.5	63.1
2017	433	19.1	22.6	57.5
2018	433	18.2	23.7	55.4
2019	423	19.1	22.0	56.3
2020	409	20.5	19.9	53.5
2021	373	20.6	18.1	41.8
2022	371	19.5	18.9	41.5
2023	364	22.0	16.5	41.5
2024	364	21.0	17.3	41.5

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 Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	321	15.7	20.4	n/a
1996	321	15.7	20.4	n/a
1997	323	14.3	22.6	28.5
1998	330	15.4	21.4	27.9
1999	327	16.8	19.5	41
2000	327	16.0	20.4	41.3
2001	339	16.0	21.2	48.4
2002	355	16.7	21.3	43.9
2003	355	16.7	21.3	43.9
2004	366	22.0	16.6	46.4
2005	367	22.0	16.7	52
2006	371	18.0	20.6	51.2
2007	361	17.4	20.7	52.9
2008	350	17.6	19.9	50.6
2009	382	19.6	19.3	49
2010	391	33.9	11.5	49.7
2011	428	39.4	10.8	49.1
2012	509	42.5	11.9	56.4
2013	469	35.5	13.1	56.9
2014	439	23.6	18.6	54.9
2015	420	21.0	20.0	58.8
2016	442	18.0	24.5	63.1
2017	433	19.1	22.6	57.5
2018	433	18.2	23.7	55.4
2019	423	19.1	22.0	56.3
2020	409	20.5	19.9	53.5
2021	373	20.6	18.1	41.8
2022	371	19.5	18.9	41.5
2023	364	22.0	16.5	41.5
2024	364	21.0	17.3	41.5

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 Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$751 (10.4%)	$6,455 (89.4%)	$7,218

Data source: Alabama Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

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 136^th of 437 Middle schools	Ranks 154^th of 437 Middle schools	4.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade Mathematics (Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle)	55.3	34.8	20.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Marshall County)	36	30.4	5.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	44.9	33.9	10.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle)	51.5	27.8	23.6%
6th Grade Mathematics (Marshall County)	46.7	16.4	30.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	45.3	30.8	14.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle)	47.7	13.5	34.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Marshall County)	40.1	10.1	29.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	43.1	21	22.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle)	44	17.8	26.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Marshall County)	35.1	10.6	24.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	44.7	21.1	23.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	423	364	13.9%
African American	4	2	50%
American Indian	0	4
Asian	5	0	100%
Hispanic	12	14	16.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	383	330	13.8%
Two or More Races	19	14	26.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	56.3%	41.5%	14.8%

Schools Near Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Summative Assessment Mathematics (2024)					Summative Assessment Science (2024)		Summative Assessment English (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	Summative Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 8th Grade	Summative Assessment English 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 5th Grade	Summative Assessment English 6th Grade	Summative Assessment English 7th Grade	Summative Assessment English 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle	Public	5-8	6077 Main St	Grant	35747	Marshall County	Marshall County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 728-5950	364	21	17.3	41.5%	329 (90.4%)	2 (0.5%)	13 (3.6%)	2 (0.5%)	7 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.0%)	62.3	142^nd of 442 public middle schools	67.9%		59.1	154^th of 437 public middle schools	64.8%	12		37.8	44.8	22.9	15.7		36.0		61.0	60.9	55.2	58.6	$7,218	$751	$6,455
Guntersville Middle School	Public	6-8	901 Sunset Drive	Guntersville	35976	Marshall County	Guntersville City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 582-5182	417	22	18.6	58.5%	295 (70.7%)	51 (12.2%)	48 (11.5%)	5 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.8%)	67.5	111^th of 442 public middle schools	74.9%		68.8	110^th of 437 public middle schools	74.8%	1			32.3	32.0	22.7		46.8			66.4	59.8	50.0	$8,940	$1,343	$7,544
Collins Intermediate School	Public	4-6	102 Legion Dr	Scottsboro	35768	Jackson County	Scottsboro City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 218-2700	532	29	18.6	60.9%	410 (77.1%)	35 (6.6%)	65 (12.2%)	6 (1.1%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.3%)								(n/a)	47.8	39.1	40.9			54.8		72.7	69.2	59.0			$9,552	$1,463	$8,052
Scottsboro Junior High School	Public	7-8	1601 Heroes Drive	Scottsboro	35768	Jackson County	Scottsboro City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 218-2300	354	20	17.7	55.6%	280 (79.1%)	16 (4.5%)	42 (11.9%)	4 (1.1%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.3%)	73.7	83^rd of 442 public middle schools	81.2%		67.3	117^th of 437 public middle schools	73.2%	34				30.3	25.6		50.9				60.7	60.0	$9,158	$1,276	$7,844
Hampton Cove Middle School	Public	6-8	261 Old 431 Highway	Hampton Cove	35763	Madison County	Huntsville City	No	No	No	No	(256) 428-8380	732	36	20.3	10.8%	576 (78.7%)	35 (4.8%)	38 (5.2%)	28 (3.8%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	53 (7.2%)	96.8	11^th of 442 public middle schools	97.5%		96.4	11^th of 437 public middle schools	97.5%				65.0	65.0	46.3		65.8			83.1	88.7	81.3	$6,081	$152	$5,927
Challenger Middle School	Public	6-8	13555 Chaney Thompson Rd	Huntsville	35803	Madison County	Huntsville City	No	No	No	No	(256) 428-7620	428	26	16.4	43.5%	233 (54.4%)	108 (25.2%)	48 (11.2%)	12 (2.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (6.1%)	81.4	61^st of 442 public middle schools	86.2%		73.6	85^th of 437 public middle schools	80.5%	24			51.2	30.6	31.2		51.4			70.1	70.8	61.2	$8,912	$1,270	$7,641
Mountain Gap Middle School	Public	6-8	821 Mountain Gap Road SE	Huntsville	35803	Madison County	Huntsville City	No	No	No	No	(256) 428-7720	392	25	15.6	45.7%	246 (62.8%)	71 (18.1%)	33 (8.4%)	6 (1.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	34 (8.7%)	89.1	35^th of 442 public middle schools	92.1%		86.4	46^th of 437 public middle schools	89.5%	11			53.6	37.5	37.6		77.9			66.1	69.2	77.3	$7,782	$767	$7,014
Albertville Intermediate School	Public	5-6	901 W McKinney Ave	Albertville	35950	Marshall County	Albertville City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 878-7698	838	42	19.9	71.4%	263 (31.4%)	50 (6.0%)	501 (59.8%)	6 (0.7%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (1.8%)								(n/a)		26.1	18.2						54.4	41.2			$6,876	$1,257	$5,602
Albertville Middle School	Public	7-8	600 E Alabama Ave	Albertville	35950	Marshall County	Albertville City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 878-2341	884	43	20.5	70.6%	284 (32.1%)	37 (4.2%)	530 (60.0%)	6 (0.7%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (2.7%)	27	329^th of 442 public middle schools	25.6%		33.3	298^th of 437 public middle schools	31.8%	31				12.6	7.8		22.0				38.0	37.7	$8,100	$1,469	$6,615

Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Marshall County:

What do you think?

Rank History for Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Rank History for all students at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Rank History for Special Education students at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Rank History for Female students at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Rank History for Male students at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Rank History for White students at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Enrollment information for Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle