Sparkman Middle School

Summary:

Sparkman Middle School is a public middle school located in Toney, Alabama, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 859 students. The school is part of the Madison County School District, which is ranked 32 out of 137 districts in Alabama and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sparkman Middle School has a relatively diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 38.65% White, 41.44% African American, 10.01% Hispanic, and smaller percentages of Asian, Native American, Pacific Islander, and multi-racial students. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by the percentage of students proficient or better in Summative Assessments, is generally lower than the Madison County and Alabama state averages, particularly in Mathematics. For example, in 2023-2024, only 10.42% of 8th-grade students at Sparkman Middle School were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 23.39% in Madison County and 22.06% statewide.

Sparkman Middle School's performance on Summative Assessments varies significantly across different student subgroups, with the school ranking highly for African American and Hispanic students but lower for White, male, and low socioeconomic status students. Additionally, the school has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 44.51% in 2020-2021 to 60.3% in 2022-2023, which may be a contributing factor to its lower academic performance. When compared to nearby schools in the Huntsville City and Madison County districts, Sparkman Middle School generally performs worse academically, particularly in Mathematics, but outperforms some of the lower-performing schools in the Huntsville City district, such as Morris Middle School and Ronald McNair 78.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 2697 Carters Gin Rd
       Toney, AL  35773


(256) 851-4610

District: Madison County

SchoolDigger Rank:
208th of 442 Alabama Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,275 Help


Students who attend Sparkman Middle School usually attend:

High:    Sparkman High School

Feeder schools for Sparkman Middle School:

Elementary:    Harvest School
    Madison Cross Roads Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  21.4 Help
Number of students:  859

Racial breakdown:

African American:
41.4%
White:
38.6%
Hispanic:
10.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  60.3% Help


 See top rated Alabama middle schools

 Compare Sparkman Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Sparkman Middle School ranks better than 52.9% of middle schools in Alabama. It also ranks last among 4 ranked middle schools in the Madison County School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.36. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (41.4%), White (38.6%), Hispanic (10%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 60.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Madison County School District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sparkman Middle School is 21.4, which is the highest among 5 middle schools in the Madison County School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Sparkman Middle School employs 40 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sparkman Middle School is $8,275, which is the 2nd highest among 4 middle schools in the Madison County School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sparkman Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Sparkman Middle School 208th of 442 Alabama public middle schools. (See Sparkman 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:
Native American students:
White students:


Madison County:

SchoolDigger ranks Madison County 32nd of 137 Alabama school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Sparkman Middle School?

Rank History for Sparkman Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Sparkman Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 59.55 152nd 407 62.7%
2005 73.48 68th 415 83.6%
2006 73.45 72nd 409 82.4%
2007 71.38 94th 412 77.2%
2008 66.42 116th 417 72.2%
2009 67.36 115th 425 72.9%
2010 72.58 102nd 435 76.6%
2011 72.87 99th 435 77.2%
2012 75.23 80th 436 81.7%
2013 78.52 50th 436 88.5%
2014 71.54 85th 438 80.6%
2015 67.88 91st 430 78.8%
2016 62.19 134th 432 69.0%
2017 66.63 115th 432 73.4%
2018 68.93 119th 423 71.9%
2019 61.53 150th 437 65.7%
2021 63.57 127th 440 71.1%
2022 68.50 101st 432 76.6%
2023 52.86 192nd 437 56.1%
2024 49.36 208th 442 52.9%
See the entire list of Alabama Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Sparkman Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 48.22 12th 21 42.9%
2018 34.17 25th 30 16.7%
2019 46.58 21st 46 54.3%
2021 44.34 34th 61 44.3%
2022 72.61 12th 60 80.0%
2023 54.11 30th 72 58.3%
2024 41.81 37th 78 52.6%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Sparkman Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 71.39 13th 94 86.2%
2024 58.70 23rd 106 78.3%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Sparkman Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 41.14 109th 195 44.1%
2018 56.96 70th 223 68.6%
2019 81.28 15th 254 94.1%
2021 58.12 70th 274 74.5%
2022 45.87 111th 256 56.6%
2023 42.09 131st 281 53.4%
2024 54.36 95th 281 66.2%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 68.55 74th 349 78.8%
2018 72.28 82nd 396 79.3%
2019 65.10 112th 396 71.7%
2021 62.50 128th 415 69.2%
2022 69.34 77th 421 81.7%
2023 47.95 197th 410 52.0%
2024 46.37 218th 437 50.1%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sparkman Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 61.54 117th 380 69.2%
2018 66.92 108th 392 72.4%
2019 63.35 114th 399 71.4%
2021 64.24 111th 415 73.3%
2022 66.31 113th 423 73.3%
2023 51.32 192nd 417 54.0%
2024 52.22 183rd 426 57.0%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sparkman Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 67.80 93rd 380 75.5%
2018 68.86 103rd 397 74.1%
2019 57.53 156th 399 60.9%
2021 60.01 134th 418 67.9%
2022 67.43 104th 427 75.6%
2023 52.79 181st 419 56.8%
2024 45.80 224th 428 47.7%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Sparkman Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 64.43 42nd 205 79.5%
2018 69.16 53rd 247 78.5%
2019 63.66 55th 252 78.2%
2021 71.88 48th 266 82.0%
2022 79.98 34th 271 87.5%
2023 62.15 67th 263 74.5%
2024 62.20 69th 269 74.3%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sparkman Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 67.48 27th 108 75.0%
2018 81.94 17th 113 85.0%
2019 70.11 30th 124 75.8%
2021 56.00 56th 154 63.6%
2022 68.95 35th 157 77.7%
2023 55.56 62nd 166 62.7%
2024 54.69 53rd 164 67.7%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Sparkman Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 33.68 11th 14 21.4%
2018 46.40 7th 14 50.0%
2019 72.38 9th 44 79.5%
2022 83.54 7th 65 89.2%
2023 61.63 18th 61 70.5%
2024 60.78 24th 69 65.2%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Sparkman Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 62.32 70th 247 71.7%
2018 66.94 73rd 331 77.9%
2019 59.65 110th 343 67.9%
2021 63.56 100th 369 72.9%
2022 63.57 108th 376 71.3%
2023 51.20 156th 370 57.8%
2024 46.13 185th 373 50.4%
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.

Sparkman 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: 4.3)
83%

0%

0%

0%

17%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Open Quote Sparkman Middle is a great school. The administration and teachers work hard with the students to help them excel in life. The school has had so many improvements thru out the building. It is a clean and safe school. You will love it at Sparkman Middle. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, August 28, 2017

Open Quote I am so excited about the direction that SMS is heading towards! The new administration has high energy and motivation to make this already great school even better! Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, August 28, 2017

Open Quote The teachers and administrators at Sparkman Middle School are excellent, they are committed to more than just our child's education, they also strive to insure their well-being. My daughter was excited about the students being able to pick their own elective classes, which range from Forensic Science to Drama. As a parent I love how much they encourage us to be a part of our child's educational journey, we will truly miss the family atmosphere when we move on to high school. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, August 28, 2017

Open Quote Sparkman Middle School is a wonderful school with an Administration and Faculty that put the student's education first! They are constantly working on ways to offer the best learning tools for the children! The staff is caring and I know my child is in good hands during day! So glad we are part of the SMS family! Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, August 28, 2017

Open Quote My daughter is loving the new electives classes brought by the new Principal. She is taking Forensic Science! We have heard good things about the Principal being a really innovative thinker. The staff all spoke highly of him and their experience with him so far. We love being a part of Sparkman Middle School! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Sparkman Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2000 607 137 0 6 26 n/a n/a 0 776
2001 622 164 1 4 32 n/a n/a 0 823
2002 631 204 1 11 32 n/a n/a 0 879
2003 631 204 1 11 32 n/a n/a 0 879
2004 447 181 1 11 26 n/a n/a 0 666
2005 458 223 4 15 26 n/a n/a 0 726
2006 471 200 2 17 26 n/a n/a 2 718
2007 464 231 6 20 35 n/a n/a 5 761
2008 494 243 12 17 38 n/a n/a 0 804
2009 469 235 13 19 38 n/a n/a 0 774
2010 468 256 10 14 41 n/a n/a 14 803
2011 485 267 8 17 50 0 2 0 829
2012 469 277 7 20 49 0 10 0 832
2013 453 276 10 27 44 1 12 0 823
2014 436 272 9 26 42 2 21 0 808
2015 405 236 10 30 37 2 24 0 744
2016 409 248 8 40 39 2 27 0 773
2017 382 237 11 41 35 2 31 0 739
2018 413 255 8 55 32 2 31 0 796
2019 414 284 11 56 30 0 28 0 823
2020 419 313 8 66 27 0 26 0 859
2021 368 326 9 59 24 0 34 0 820
2022 344 321 7 80 28 0 39 0 819
2023 332 356 7 86 25 1 52 0 859

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 Sparkman Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2000 776 41.0 18.9 35.8
2001 823 42.0 19.6 34.5
2002 879 48.0 18.3 39.8
2003 879 48.0 18.3 39.8
2004 666 40.1 16.6 38.1
2005 726 40.0 18.2 41.3
2006 718 40.0 17.9 40.9
2007 761 40.5 18.8 40.6
2008 804 42.9 18.7 41.2
2009 774 43.4 17.7 42.6
2010 803 42.0 19.1 45.4
2011 829 46.1 17.9 44.4
2012 832 46.8 17.7 48.7
2013 823 44.9 18.3 51.9
2014 808 35.5 22.7 55.2
2015 744 37.0 20.1 48.5
2016 773 37.0 20.8 50.8
2017 739 38.5 19.1 50.2
2018 796 34.0 23.4 48
2019 823 35.0 23.5 50.9
2020 859 41.0 20.9 46.1
2021 820 40.0 20.5 44.5
2022 819 42.0 19.5 45.4
2023 859 40.0 21.4 60.3

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 Sparkman Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2000 776 41.0 18.9 35.8
2001 823 42.0 19.6 34.5
2002 879 48.0 18.3 39.8
2003 879 48.0 18.3 39.8
2004 666 40.1 16.6 38.1
2005 726 40.0 18.2 41.3
2006 718 40.0 17.9 40.9
2007 761 40.5 18.8 40.6
2008 804 42.9 18.7 41.2
2009 774 43.4 17.7 42.6
2010 803 42.0 19.1 45.4
2011 829 46.1 17.9 44.4
2012 832 46.8 17.7 48.7
2013 823 44.9 18.3 51.9
2014 808 35.5 22.7 55.2
2015 744 37.0 20.1 48.5
2016 773 37.0 20.8 50.8
2017 739 38.5 19.1 50.2
2018 796 34.0 23.4 48
2019 823 35.0 23.5 50.9
2020 859 41.0 20.9 46.1
2021 820 40.0 20.5 44.5
2022 819 42.0 19.5 45.4
2023 859 40.0 21.4 60.3

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 Sparkman Middle School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,782 (21.5%) $6,454 (78.0%) $8,275

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Sparkman 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 150th of 437 Middle schoolsRanks 192nd of 437 Middle schools
 9.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Sparkman Middle School)54.926.9
 28%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Madison County)63.640.5
 23.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)45.330.8
 14.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sparkman Middle School)37.512.5
 24.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Madison County)57.925.8
 32.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)43.121
 22.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sparkman Middle School)43.810.8
 33%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Madison County)58.325.1
 33.2%
   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 Students823859
 4.4%
African American284356
 25.4%
American Indian3025
 16.7%
Asian117
 36.4%
Hispanic5686
 53.6%
Pacific Islander01
White414332
 19.8%
Two or More Races2852
 85.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients50.9%60.3%
 9.4%


Schools Near Sparkman Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Sparkman Middle School

Students who attend Sparkman Middle School usually go on to attend Sparkman High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 859 students attended Sparkman Middle School.

Sparkman Middle School ranks 208th of 442 Alabama middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Sparkman Middle School are 41% African American, 39% White, 10% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 3% American Indian.


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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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