Walter Jackson Elementary School vs Julian Harris Elementary School

Walter Jackson Elementary School and Julian Harris Elementary School sit 4.1 miles apart in Decatur, Alabama, and both rank among the state's top elementaries — but Julian Harris claims the higher overall position. Julian Harris Elementary School holds the #18 of 1356 statewide rank against Walter Jackson Elementary School's #46 of 1356, a meaningful gap at the top of the distribution. Julian Harris carries a 9.3 overall rating to Walter Jackson's 9.0, a 0.3-point difference that, at this tier, reflects real distinctions across the scoring components.

The academic and growth scores tell a split story. Walter Jackson Elementary School leads on academic proficiency at 9.4/10 versus Julian Harris Elementary School's 8.7/10 — a 0.7-point edge suggesting Walter Jackson's students are performing at higher absolute levels on standardized assessments. Julian Harris flips the advantage on growth, scoring 9.7/10 against Walter Jackson's 9.1/10, meaning students at Julian Harris are advancing faster relative to their starting points. Families weighing current achievement against trajectory will find these two schools pulling in different directions on those dimensions.

Julian Harris Elementary School enrolls 348 students compared to Walter Jackson Elementary School's 240, making Walter Jackson the smaller campus by 108 students. The student-teacher ratio at Julian Harris is 15.1:1 versus 17.1:1 at Walter Jackson — two fewer students per teacher on average, which translates to more adult contact time per child despite the larger overall enrollment. Free and reduced lunch eligibility is similar: 71% at Walter Jackson and 67% at Julian Harris, indicating both schools serve predominantly economically disadvantaged populations with only a modest four-point difference.

On grade configuration, Julian Harris Elementary School serves PK through 5th grade while Walter Jackson Elementary School serves KG through 5th. Families with pre-kindergarten-aged children can enroll at Julian Harris without a school change, while Walter Jackson begins at kindergarten. Both schools are classified as elementary campuses, but the PK access point at Julian Harris gives it a practical logistical edge for families planning multiple years of continuity from early childhood onward.