Sanford Middle School

Summary:

Sanford Middle School is a public middle school in Opelika, Alabama, serving grades 5-8 with a student population of 545. The school is part of the Lee County School District, which is ranked 57 out of 137 districts in Alabama and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Sanford Middle School has a higher percentage of White students (59.08%) compared to the surrounding schools, its academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates in state assessments, is generally lower than the Lee County and Alabama averages across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's 8th-grade math proficiency rate was 17.27%, compared to the Lee County average of 25.78% and the Alabama average of 22.06%. The school's performance also varies significantly across different student subgroups, with Hispanic students performing relatively well, but African American, White, and special education students performing significantly lower than the state averages.

Sanford Middle School's statewide ranking has steadily declined over the past several years, from a high of 96 out of 440 Alabama middle schools in 2020-2021 to 273 out of 442 in 2023-2024, with a corresponding drop in its SchoolDigger star rating from 4 to 2. The school's performance is generally lower than that of nearby schools, such as Smiths Station Junior High School, which is also in the Lee County district but has consistently higher academic proficiency rates and a higher statewide ranking. The high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at Sanford Middle School (73.76% in 2022-2023) suggests that the school may be facing significant socioeconomic challenges that could be impacting student achievement.


Detail:

Public 5-8

 1500 Lee Road 11
       Opelika, AL  36804-8907


(334) 705-6040

District: Lee County

SchoolDigger Rank:
273rd of 442 Alabama Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,340 Help


Feeder schools for Sanford Middle School:

Elementary:    Beauregard Elementary School
    Beulah Elementary School
    Loachapoka Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.6 Help
Number of students:  545

Racial breakdown:

White:
59.1%
African American:
21.7%
Two or more races:
10.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  73.8% Help


 See top rated Alabama middle schools

 Compare Sanford Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Sanford Middle School ranks worse than 61.8% of middle schools in Alabama. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.1. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (59.1%), African American (21.7%), two or more races (10.8%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 73.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sanford Middle School is 16.6. (See more...)
Help
Compare Sanford Middle School employs 32.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sanford Middle School is $9,340.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sanford Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Sanford Middle School 273rd of 442 Alabama public middle schools. (See Sanford Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Lee County:

SchoolDigger ranks Lee County 57th of 137 Alabama school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Sanford Middle School?

Rank History for Sanford Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Sanford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 31.50 303rd 407 25.6%
2005 30.04 314th 415 24.3%
2006 34.94 296th 409 27.6%
2007 29.49 312th 412 24.3%
2008 37.78 293rd 417 29.7%
2009 49.50 223rd 425 47.5%
2010 48.81 240th 435 44.8%
2011 55.63 203rd 435 53.3%
2012 50.39 250th 436 42.7%
2013 41.99 313th 436 28.2%
2014 47.27 235th 438 46.3%
2015 57.95 157th 430 63.5%
2016 54.17 186th 432 56.9%
2017 50.74 203rd 432 53.0%
2018 61.12 150th 423 64.5%
2019 65.07 127th 437 70.9%
2021 68.74 96th 440 78.2%
2022 51.76 192nd 432 55.6%
2023 44.56 237th 437 45.8%
2024 39.10 273rd 442 38.2%
See the entire list of Alabama Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Sanford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 56.24 23rd 61 62.3%
2022 34.41 42nd 60 30.0%
2023 32.11 47th 72 34.7%
2024 38.42 43rd 78 44.9%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Sanford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 49.07 77th 195 60.5%
2018 50.85 98th 223 56.1%
2019 46.36 124th 254 51.2%
2021 47.76 114th 274 58.4%
2022 30.55 200th 256 21.9%
2023 28.85 219th 281 22.1%
2024 26.17 240th 281 14.6%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sanford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 50.02 164th 349 53.0%
2018 63.83 131st 396 66.9%
2019 63.92 120th 396 69.7%
2021 77.86 37th 415 91.1%
2022 55.04 167th 421 60.3%
2023 40.93 239th 410 41.7%
2024 31.98 304th 437 30.4%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sanford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 48.16 200th 380 47.4%
2018 59.50 151st 392 61.5%
2019 61.16 128th 399 67.9%
2021 65.28 106th 415 74.5%
2022 43.00 240th 423 43.3%
2023 38.55 259th 417 37.9%
2024 34.92 287th 426 32.6%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sanford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 50.90 177th 380 53.4%
2018 59.60 150th 397 62.2%
2019 65.81 111th 399 72.2%
2021 68.64 89th 418 78.7%
2022 57.48 147th 427 65.6%
2023 49.79 199th 419 52.5%
2024 43.99 231st 428 46.0%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Sanford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 47.60 87th 205 57.6%
2018 62.49 66th 247 73.3%
2019 57.87 77th 252 69.4%
2021 66.36 62nd 266 76.7%
2022 48.50 101st 271 62.7%
2023 49.06 101st 263 61.6%
2024 34.95 168th 269 37.5%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sanford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 78.70 16th 154 89.6%
2022 76.18 23rd 157 85.4%
2024 25.58 127th 164 22.6%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Sanford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 34.31 153rd 247 38.1%
2018 46.27 169th 331 48.9%
2019 59.76 109th 343 68.2%
2021 58.82 111th 369 69.9%
2022 43.85 185th 376 50.8%
2023 36.08 235th 370 36.5%
2024 31.05 273rd 373 26.8%
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.

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






Data source: Alabama State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Sanford 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 502 502
1989 364 137 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 501
1990 352 150 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 502
1991 361 163 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 525
1992 330 153 2 1 0 n/a n/a 0 486
1993 358 146 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 507
1994 391 150 6 0 1 n/a n/a 0 548
1995 363 139 3 1 0 n/a n/a 0 506
1996 363 139 3 1 0 n/a n/a 0 506
1997 408 140 4 0 0 n/a n/a 0 552
1998 396 134 5 0 0 n/a n/a 1 536
1999 414 147 5 0 0 n/a n/a 9 575
2000 430 141 3 1 0 n/a n/a 6 581
2001 462 166 2 2 0 n/a n/a 2 634
2002 473 157 5 3 0 n/a n/a 0 638
2003 473 157 5 3 0 n/a n/a 0 638
2004 502 173 6 5 0 n/a n/a 0 686
2005 486 164 6 5 0 n/a n/a 0 661
2006 478 156 8 7 1 n/a n/a 0 650
2007 510 164 11 9 2 n/a n/a 0 696
2008 506 173 8 15 5 n/a n/a 0 707
2009 502 169 7 8 4 n/a n/a 0 690
2010 544 176 4 8 5 n/a n/a 0 737
2011 528 178 3 12 4 0 0 0 725
2012 498 155 3 12 5 0 1 0 674
2013 503 153 4 12 3 0 5 0 680
2014 497 126 1 13 2 0 10 0 649
2015 476 115 1 17 1 0 11 0 621
2016 473 117 0 19 1 0 12 0 622
2017 424 126 2 20 1 0 24 0 597
2018 405 123 1 21 3 0 15 0 568
2019 417 134 1 25 2 0 20 0 599
2020 370 121 0 32 1 0 36 0 560
2021 339 114 0 44 0 0 48 0 545
2022 337 105 0 43 0 0 50 0 535
2023 322 118 0 45 0 1 59 0 545

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 Sanford Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 502 21.0 23.9 0
1989 501 23.0 21.7 n/a
1990 502 23.0 21.8 0
1991 525 24.0 21.8 n/a
1992 486 24.0 20.2 n/a
1993 507 24.0 21.1 n/a
1994 548 26.0 21.1 n/a
1995 506 28.8 17.6 n/a
1996 506 28.8 17.6 n/a
1997 552 30.5 18.1 32.6
1998 536 31.7 16.9 27.5
1999 575 31.0 18.5 44
2000 581 33.0 17.6 46.8
2001 634 34.0 18.6 43.2
2002 638 34.5 18.5 51.7
2003 638 34.5 18.5 51.7
2004 686 38.5 17.8 50.9
2005 661 39.0 16.9 51.4
2006 650 41.0 15.9 53.1
2007 696 41.0 17.0 45.3
2008 707 44.6 15.9 45
2009 690 43.7 15.6 54.2
2010 737 46.8 15.7 60
2011 725 50.9 14.2 63.7
2012 674 45.8 14.7 64.8
2013 680 43.8 15.5 65.1
2014 649 35.0 18.5 64.3
2015 621 37.0 16.7 65.2
2016 622 37.0 16.8 66.6
2017 597 32.0 18.6 63.5
2018 568 33.0 17.2 69.2
2019 599 33.0 18.1 61.8
2020 560 33.0 16.9 60.7
2021 545 35.0 15.5 52.5
2022 535 31.0 17.2 57.4
2023 545 32.7 16.6 73.8

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 Sanford Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 502 21.0 23.9 0
1989 501 23.0 21.7 n/a
1990 502 23.0 21.8 0
1991 525 24.0 21.8 n/a
1992 486 24.0 20.2 n/a
1993 507 24.0 21.1 n/a
1994 548 26.0 21.1 n/a
1995 506 28.8 17.6 n/a
1996 506 28.8 17.6 n/a
1997 552 30.5 18.1 32.6
1998 536 31.7 16.9 27.5
1999 575 31.0 18.5 44
2000 581 33.0 17.6 46.8
2001 634 34.0 18.6 43.2
2002 638 34.5 18.5 51.7
2003 638 34.5 18.5 51.7
2004 686 38.5 17.8 50.9
2005 661 39.0 16.9 51.4
2006 650 41.0 15.9 53.1
2007 696 41.0 17.0 45.3
2008 707 44.6 15.9 45
2009 690 43.7 15.6 54.2
2010 737 46.8 15.7 60
2011 725 50.9 14.2 63.7
2012 674 45.8 14.7 64.8
2013 680 43.8 15.5 65.1
2014 649 35.0 18.5 64.3
2015 621 37.0 16.7 65.2
2016 622 37.0 16.8 66.6
2017 597 32.0 18.6 63.5
2018 568 33.0 17.2 69.2
2019 599 33.0 18.1 61.8
2020 560 33.0 16.9 60.7
2021 545 35.0 15.5 52.5
2022 535 31.0 17.2 57.4
2023 545 32.7 16.6 73.8

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 Sanford Middle School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,200 (12.8%) $8,124 (87.0%) $9,340

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Sanford 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 127th of 437 Middle schoolsRanks 237th of 437 Middle schools
 25.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
5th Grade Mathematics (Sanford Middle School)47.833.1
 14.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Lee County)46.340.7
 5.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)44.933.9
 10.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Sanford Middle School)60.635.1
 25.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Lee County)5436.9
 17.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)45.330.8
 14.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sanford Middle School)48.318.9
 29.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Lee County)47.819.5
 28.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)43.121
 22.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sanford Middle School)62.914.1
 48.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Lee County)50.517.4
 33.1%
   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 Students599545
 9%
African American134118
 11.9%
American Indian20
 100%
Asian10
 100%
Hispanic2545
 80%
Pacific Islander01
White417322
 22.8%
Two or More Races2059
 195%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients61.8%73.8%
 12%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Sanford Middle School

Sanford Middle School ranks 273rd of 442 Alabama middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 545 students attended Sanford Middle School.

Students at Sanford Middle School are 59% White, 22% African American, 11% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic.


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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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