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#914 of 1,356 schools in AL

Decatur Middle School

Middle School · Decatur City · Decatur, AL

A Decatur City middle school where students score 18 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1011 Prospect Drive SE, Decatur, AL 35601

  • Math 18% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 39% proficient (2022)
  • 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.0Below Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-4.67 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics4.3Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency18% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency39% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency29% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-18.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile24th
Resources & Environment9.6Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.9:1
District spending per student$14,832
Chronic Absenteeism15.5%

Students at Decatur Middle School score 28% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 47%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. AL average.

Math Proficiency18%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency39%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 17 points since 2019, to 29% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
86%
ELA
88%
2010
Math
85%
ELA
89%
2011
Math
81%
ELA
86%
2012
Math
79%
ELA
87%
2013
Math
37%
ELA
43%
2014
Math
36%
ELA
41%
2015
Math
42%
ELA
41%
2016
Math
44%
ELA
40%
2017
Math
51%
ELA
46%
2018
Math
48%
ELA
43%
2019
Math
48%
ELA
43%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
36%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
36%
2022
Math
18%
ELA
39%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 49% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 54% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from AL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

63.6%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Decatur Middle School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 41Car-Dependent
  • Bike 39Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,107/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Decatur), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$50,216

Median home value

$148,100

Median rent

$860/mo

College educated

18.3%

Homeownership

57.9%

Poverty rate

17.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 35601; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Austin Junior High SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.48–92.2 mi702Compare →
Cornerstone Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition6.8privatePK–123.5 mi59Compare →
Austin Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.46–83.6 mi713Compare →
Decatur Heritage Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition6.8privateK–124.3 mi323Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Decatur City

Schools in district
20
Rank in district
#16 of 18
District spending per student
$14,832NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

Decatur Middle School is listed in Decatur City; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Decatur Middle School

Decatur Middle School is a public middle school in Decatur, AL, part of Decatur City, serving approximately 792 students in grades 6th-8th with a 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10 and ranks #914 of 1,356 schools in AL. State assessment records show 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Decatur Middle School

What grades does Decatur Middle School serve?

Decatur Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Decatur Middle School?

Decatur Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 792 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Decatur Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Decatur Middle School is 14.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Decatur Middle School rank in AL?

Decatur Middle School ranks #914 of 1,356 schools in AL.

What is Decatur Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Decatur Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Decatur Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Decatur Middle School has 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Decatur Middle School a charter school?

No, Decatur Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Decatur Middle School a Title I school?

No, Decatur Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Decatur Middle School?

63.6% of students at Decatur Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
792
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
53
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Morgan County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
15.5%
Area population (ZIP 35601)
36,008
Area average commute
20.1 min
Area median age
37
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 35601; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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