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Excellent

#221 of 1,356 schools in AL

Top 16% in state

Julian Harris Elementary School

Elementary School · Decatur City · Decatur, AL

A Decatur City elementary school where students score 23 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1922 McAuliffe Dr SW, Decatur, AL 35603

  • Math 42% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 94% vs AL 87% (2024)
  • 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.6Very Good50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-3.1 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics9.1Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency42% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency93.9% (2024 ACAP)
Reading vs. State Avg+11.1 pts
Overall Proficiency68% (2024 ACAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)45% (model expectation from 2024 ACAP)
vs. Expected+23.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile86th
Resources & Environment9.5Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.1:1
District spending per student$14,832
Chronic Absenteeism14.7%

Students at Julian Harris Elementary School score 68% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 45%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 ACAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. AL average.

Math Proficiency42%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency94%(2024 ACAP)
School
State
87%(2024 ACAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 57 points since 2020, reaching 94% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
89%
ELA
90%
2010
Math
89%
ELA
89%
2011
Math
87%
ELA
93%
2012
Math
89%
ELA
88%
2013
Math
60%
ELA
36%
2014
Math
53%
ELA
32%
2015
Math
62%
ELA
37%
2016
Math
52%
ELA
42%
2017
Math
57%
ELA
57%
2018
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2019
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2020*
Math
22%
ELA
52%
2021*
Math
22%
ELA
52%
2022
Math
42%
ELA
57%
2024
ELA
94%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 58% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 63% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

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

Based on 30 test records from AL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

67.2%

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 Julian Harris Elementary 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 6Car-Dependent
  • Bike 27Somewhat 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

$78,237

Median home value

$235,600

Median rent

$857/mo

College educated

29.2%

Homeownership

73.6%

Poverty rate

7.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 35603; 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
Woodmeade Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.2PK–51.3 mi351Compare →
Austinville Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.8PK–52.2 mi418Compare →
Chestnut Grove Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.4PK–52.2 mi435Compare →
West Morgan Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.0PK–32.2 mi516Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Decatur City

Schools in district
20
Rank in district
#6 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

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

About Julian Harris Elementary School

Julian Harris Elementary School is a public elementary school in Decatur, AL, part of Decatur City, serving approximately 348 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.4 out of 10 and ranks #221 of 1,356 schools in AL. State assessment records show 58% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 63% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Julian Harris Elementary School

What grades does Julian Harris Elementary School serve?

Julian Harris Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Julian Harris Elementary School?

Julian Harris Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 348 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Julian Harris Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Julian Harris Elementary School is 15.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Julian Harris Elementary School rank in AL?

Julian Harris Elementary School ranks #221 of 1,356 schools in AL.

What is Julian Harris Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Julian Harris Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.4 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 Julian Harris Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Julian Harris Elementary School has 58% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 63% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Julian Harris Elementary School a charter school?

No, Julian Harris Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Julian Harris Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Julian Harris Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Julian Harris Elementary School?

67.2% of students at Julian Harris Elementary 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
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
348
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
23
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Morgan County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
14.7%
Area population (ZIP 35603)
31,875
Area average commute
22.7 min
Area median age
43.3
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 · 2024 ACAP · 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 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 35603; 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, multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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