Whitesburg Middle School

Summary:

Whitesburg Middle School is a public middle school in Huntsville, Alabama, serving 539 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Huntsville City school district, which is ranked 83 out of 137 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Whitesburg Middle School stands out for its diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 27.27% White, 30.43% African American, 33.58% Hispanic, 1.86% Asian, 0.19% Native American, and 6.68% two or more races. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by state assessment proficiency rates, is generally lower than the Huntsville City and Alabama state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates in Mathematics ranged from 11.92% to 15.2%, compared to 20.13% to 30.09% for Huntsville City and 22.06% to 31.56% for the state. The school's performance also varies significantly across different student subgroups, with African American and Hispanic students performing significantly lower than their White peers.

Compared to nearby middle schools, such as the highly-ranked Hampton Cove Middle School, Whitesburg Middle School consistently underperforms. The school's statewide ranking has also steadily declined over the past decade, from a high of 61 out of 430 Alabama middle schools in 2014-2015 to a ranking of 314 out of 442 in the current 2023-2024 school year. These challenges, along with the school's relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggest that Whitesburg Middle School may need to focus on addressing equity and opportunity gaps to improve academic outcomes for all its students.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 107 Sanders Rd
       Huntsville, AL  35802


(256) 428-7780

District: Huntsville City

SchoolDigger Rank:
314th of 442 Alabama Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,356 Help


Students who attend Whitesburg Middle School usually attend:

High:    Virgil Grissom High School

Feeder schools for Whitesburg Middle School:

Elementary:    McDonnell Elementary School
    Roger B Chaffee Elementary School
    Whitesburg Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  20.6 Help
Number of students:  567

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
32.8%
African American:
32.3%
White:
26.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  47.8% Help


 See top rated Alabama middle schools

 Compare Whitesburg Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Whitesburg Middle School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2019 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.76. (See more...)
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Compare Details Whitesburg Middle School ranks worse than 71% of middle schools in Alabama. It also ranks 6th among 7 ranked middle schools in the Huntsville City School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.42. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Student population at Whitesburg Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (32.8%), African American (32.3%), White (26.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 47.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Whitesburg Middle School is 20.6, which is the highest among 7 middle schools in the Huntsville City School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Whitesburg Middle School employs 27.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Whitesburg Middle School is $8,356, which is the 3rd highest among 7 middle schools in the Huntsville City School District.
Schooldigger 2019 Rankings:

Whitesburg Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Whitesburg Middle School 314th of 442 Alabama public middle schools. (See Whitesburg Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Huntsville City:

SchoolDigger ranks Huntsville City 83rd of 137 Alabama school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Whitesburg Middle School?

Rank History for Whitesburg Middle School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2013 50.16 438th 696 37.1%
2014 68.92 180th 695 74.1%
2015 75.63 141st 691 79.6%
2016 54.38 307th 691 55.6%
2017 42.51 421st 688 38.8%
2018 58.36 295th 680 56.6%
2019 61.76 248th 681 63.6%
See the entire list of Alabama Middle School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Whitesburg Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Whitesburg Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 79.15 57th 407 86.0%
2005 90.61 18th 415 95.7%
2006 91.69 17th 409 95.8%
2007 84.85 35th 412 91.5%
2008 79.28 48th 417 88.5%
2009 82.12 44th 425 89.6%
2010 63.63 151st 435 65.3%
2011 62.79 170th 435 60.9%
2012 65.17 140th 436 67.9%
2013 58.16 199th 436 54.4%
2014 77.61 62nd 438 85.8%
2015 78.32 61st 430 85.8%
2016 48.59 213th 432 50.7%
2017 35.80 293rd 432 32.2%
2018 43.97 250th 423 40.9%
2019 41.84 269th 437 38.4%
2021 45.57 229th 440 48.0%
2022 37.56 276th 432 36.1%
2023 32.75 301st 437 31.1%
2024 31.42 314th 442 29.0%
See the entire list of Alabama Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Multi-racial students at Whitesburg Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 14.61 21st 21 0.0%
2018 38.17 21st 30 30.0%
2019 31.93 38th 46 17.4%
2021 36.44 41st 61 32.8%
2022 27.59 46th 60 23.3%
2023 17.67 68th 72 5.6%
2024 29.48 57th 78 26.9%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Whitesburg Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 32.76 9th 13 30.8%
2018 35.75 16th 25 36.0%
2019 43.38 12th 31 61.3%
2021 34.70 55th 70 21.4%
2022 23.99 72nd 81 11.1%
2023 29.39 79th 94 16.0%
2024 26.27 93rd 106 12.3%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Whitesburg Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 64.60 33rd 195 83.1%
2018 56.86 71st 223 68.2%
2019 49.38 112th 254 55.9%
2021 35.17 188th 274 31.4%
2022 70.35 38th 256 85.2%
2023 53.62 97th 281 65.5%
2024 60.68 62nd 281 77.9%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Whitesburg Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 51.00 159th 349 54.4%
2018 29.18 302nd 396 23.7%
2019 26.16 310th 396 21.7%
2021 30.65 302nd 415 27.2%
2022 23.16 344th 421 18.3%
2023 20.70 353rd 410 13.9%
2024 23.11 353rd 437 19.2%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Whitesburg Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 24.84 303rd 380 20.3%
2018 39.24 258th 392 34.2%
2019 42.56 250th 399 37.3%
2021 47.17 217th 415 47.7%
2022 34.21 286th 423 32.4%
2023 34.08 285th 417 31.7%
2024 34.56 288th 426 32.4%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Whitesburg Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 46.73 201st 380 47.1%
2018 47.95 211th 397 46.9%
2019 40.08 250th 399 37.3%
2021 43.57 229th 418 45.2%
2022 40.18 250th 427 41.5%
2023 32.16 296th 419 29.4%
2024 28.77 308th 428 28.0%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Whitesburg Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 25.76 170th 205 17.1%
2018 33.05 162nd 247 34.4%
2019 26.43 208th 252 17.5%
2021 43.79 117th 266 56.0%
2022 36.86 163rd 271 39.9%
2023 35.21 163rd 263 38.0%
2024 31.40 184th 269 31.6%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Whitesburg Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 17.95 98th 108 9.3%
2018 18.27 101st 113 10.6%
2019 25.93 99th 124 20.2%
2021 34.92 101st 154 34.4%
2022 26.39 127th 157 19.1%
2023 22.40 140th 166 15.7%
2024 19.33 141st 164 14.0%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school Native American students at Whitesburg Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 27.23 52nd 65 20.0%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Whitesburg Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 50.49 91st 247 63.2%
2018 71.55 66th 331 80.1%
2019 37.02 215th 343 37.3%
2021 41.21 206th 369 44.2%
2022 35.93 241st 376 35.9%
2023 28.30 281st 370 24.1%
2024 29.76 281st 373 24.7%
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.

Whitesburg Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Alabama State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a principal
Friday, March 8, 2024

Open Quote Whitesburg Middle School is on the right track to accomplish great things. We are getting a handle on attendance, increasing our proficiency and growth on all platforms, and working to foster a positive atmosphere for all students. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, September 17, 2018

Open Quote Caring administration and staff. Great kids who want to learn. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Whitesburg Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 648 648
1989 610 25 30 6 0 n/a n/a 0 671
1990 611 21 42 5 2 n/a n/a 0 681
1991 573 31 40 4 2 n/a n/a 0 650
1992 591 37 35 7 2 n/a n/a 2 674
1993 564 40 63 4 2 n/a n/a 0 673
1994 601 44 53 6 3 n/a n/a 0 707
1995 545 62 35 7 2 n/a n/a 0 651
1996 545 62 35 7 2 n/a n/a 0 651
1997 498 71 40 6 3 n/a n/a 0 618
1998 475 70 49 6 2 n/a n/a 0 602
1999 463 50 45 8 1 n/a n/a 0 567
2000 468 44 36 3 4 n/a n/a 1 556
2001 474 56 30 4 3 n/a n/a 1 568
2002 464 74 37 6 0 n/a n/a 0 581
2003 464 74 37 6 0 n/a n/a 0 581
2004 470 87 28 14 3 n/a n/a 0 602
2005 450 100 32 12 3 n/a n/a 0 597
2006 434 106 23 12 3 n/a n/a 1 579
2007 423 104 17 18 2 n/a n/a 1 565
2008 420 127 15 25 1 n/a n/a 0 588
2009 406 131 21 34 2 n/a n/a 0 594
2010 393 141 25 40 3 n/a n/a 1 603
2011 385 155 28 33 2 0 0 0 603
2012 308 158 19 31 2 0 3 0 521
2013 463 275 17 56 1 3 20 0 835
2014 448 261 11 58 1 5 33 0 817
2015 425 224 13 74 2 6 46 0 790
2016 439 305 20 192 1 6 73 0 1036
2017 409 331 14 226 1 7 74 0 1062
2018 393 313 16 211 1 5 83 0 1022
2019 349 261 14 204 3 5 82 0 918
2020 188 168 7 182 0 2 43 0 590
2021 173 168 9 207 0 1 46 0 604
2022 193 179 16 193 6 1 3 0 591
2023 147 164 10 181 1 0 36 0 539
2024 152 183 6 186 3 0 37 0 567

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 Whitesburg Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 648 36.0 18.0 0
1989 671 42.0 15.9 n/a
1990 681 41.0 16.6 0
1991 650 39.0 16.6 n/a
1992 674 39.0 17.2 n/a
1993 673 40.0 16.8 n/a
1994 707 40.0 17.7 n/a
1995 651 42.0 15.5 n/a
1996 651 42.0 15.5 n/a
1997 618 43.0 14.4 6.6
1998 602 42.0 14.3 5.5
1999 567 42.0 13.5 2.1
2000 556 40.0 13.9 7.6
2001 568 38.0 14.9 7.9
2002 581 37.8 15.4 13.1
2003 581 37.8 15.4 13.1
2004 602 39.1 15.4 14.5
2005 597 40.3 14.8 17.1
2006 579 39.0 14.8 17
2007 565 37.0 15.3 19.1
2008 588 36.3 16.2 18.4
2009 594 35.8 16.5 21
2010 603 46.1 13.0 28.6
2011 603 47.6 12.6 32.7
2012 521 42.5 12.2 37
2013 835 44.5 18.7 44.7
2014 817 48.1 16.9 47.1
2015 790 49.0 16.1 29.5
2016 1036 59.0 17.5 37.8
2017 1062 60.5 17.5 42.3
2018 1022 59.7 17.1 46.6
2019 918 57.8 15.8 46.9
2020 590 31.0 19.0 48
2021 604 32.0 18.8 48
2022 591 26.5 22.3 48.1
2023 539 28.0 19.2 47.9
2024 567 27.5 20.6 47.8

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 Whitesburg Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 648 36.0 18.0 0
1989 671 42.0 15.9 n/a
1990 681 41.0 16.6 0
1991 650 39.0 16.6 n/a
1992 674 39.0 17.2 n/a
1993 673 40.0 16.8 n/a
1994 707 40.0 17.7 n/a
1995 651 42.0 15.5 n/a
1996 651 42.0 15.5 n/a
1997 618 43.0 14.4 6.6
1998 602 42.0 14.3 5.5
1999 567 42.0 13.5 2.1
2000 556 40.0 13.9 7.6
2001 568 38.0 14.9 7.9
2002 581 37.8 15.4 13.1
2003 581 37.8 15.4 13.1
2004 602 39.1 15.4 14.5
2005 597 40.3 14.8 17.1
2006 579 39.0 14.8 17
2007 565 37.0 15.3 19.1
2008 588 36.3 16.2 18.4
2009 594 35.8 16.5 21
2010 603 46.1 13.0 28.6
2011 603 47.6 12.6 32.7
2012 521 42.5 12.2 37
2013 835 44.5 18.7 44.7
2014 817 48.1 16.9 47.1
2015 790 49.0 16.1 29.5
2016 1036 59.0 17.5 37.8
2017 1062 60.5 17.5 42.3
2018 1022 59.7 17.1 46.6
2019 918 57.8 15.8 46.9
2020 590 31.0 19.0 48
2021 604 32.0 18.8 48
2022 591 26.5 22.3 48.1
2023 539 28.0 19.2 47.9
2024 567 27.5 20.6 47.8

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 Whitesburg Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,156 (13.8%) $7,199 (86.2%) $8,356

Data source: Alabama Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Whitesburg 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 269th of 437 Middle schoolsRanks 301st of 437 Middle schools
 7.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Whitesburg Middle School)37.216
 21.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Huntsville City)40.126.7
 13.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)45.330.8
 14.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Whitesburg Middle School)34.417
 17.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Huntsville City)37.722.8
 14.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)43.121
 22.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Whitesburg Middle School)31.111.1
 20%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Huntsville City)39.818.9
 20.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)44.721.1
 23.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students918539
 41.3%
African American261164
 37.2%
American Indian31
 66.7%
Asian1410
 28.6%
Hispanic204181
 11.3%
Pacific Islander50
 100%
White349147
 57.9%
Two or More Races8236
 56.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients46.9%47.9%
 0.9%


Schools Near Whitesburg Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Whitesburg Middle School

Whitesburg Middle School ranks 314th of 442 Alabama middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Students at Whitesburg Middle School are 33% Hispanic, 32% African American, 27% White, 7% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Students who attend Whitesburg Middle School usually go on to attend Virgil Grissom High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 567 students attended Whitesburg Middle School.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Alabama State Department of 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.





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