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Helena Middle

Q: Is Helena Middle a good school?

Helena Middle ranks 57 th of 439 Alabama middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

57^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 439 Alabama Middle Schools

Better than 87% of Alabama middle schools

Summary

Helena Middle is a public middle school located in Helena, Alabama, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 988 students. It is part of the Shelby County School District, which is ranked 34th out of 135 districts in Alabama and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. Over the past 10 years, Helena Middle has consistently ranked among the top middle schools in the state, with a peak ranking of 25th out of 430 Alabama middle schools in the 2014-2015 school year.

Helena Middle consistently outperforms the state and Shelby County averages in academic assessments. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school had higher proficiency rates than the state and county in all tested subjects and grade levels. Additionally, Helena Middle performs exceptionally well across various student subgroups, ranking among the top middle schools in Alabama for African American, Hispanic, and students with special needs.

While Helena Middle has seen an increase in chronic absenteeism in recent years, its rates remain lower than the state average and are comparable to other high-performing middle schools in the area. When compared to nearby schools, Helena Middle stands out as a high-performing institution, outperforming schools like Calera Middle and Bessemer City Middle School in academic assessments. However, it lags behind some of the top-performing schools in the Hoover City and Vestavia Hills City districts.

957

Students ?

18.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,076

Per pupil spending ?

27.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1299 Hillsboro Parkway
Helena, AL 35080

(205) 682-5300

District: Shelby County

Students who attend Helena Middle usually attend:

High:

Helena High School

Feeder schools for Helena Middle:

Elementary:	Helena Elementary School
	Helena Intermediate School

Racial breakdown:

White:

69.7%

African American:

15.4%

Hispanic:

10.4%

See top rated Alabama middle schools

Compare Helena Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 79th percentile in 2023 → 87th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Alabama average (56% vs 42% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 13% of Alabama middle schools

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 87th (2025) from a 79th-percentile low (2023)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school56%

District avg52%

Alabama avg42%

57^th of 439

Alabama public middle schools ?

Top 13%▼ down 7 pts since 2015

From top 6% (2015) to top 13% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Alabama Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 6Middle Schools in the Shelby County

34^th of 135Shelby County among Alabama districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	81.8	57 of 439	87.0%	★★★★☆
2024	73.1	88 of 442	80.1%	★★★★☆
2023	72.3	90 of 437	79.4%	★★★★☆
2022	73.5	76 of 432	82.4%	★★★★☆
2021	74.1	73 of 440	83.4%	★★★★☆
2019	88.8	33 of 437	92.4%	★★★★★
2018	84.4	50 of 423	88.2%	★★★★☆
2017	87.3	36 of 432	91.7%	★★★★★
2016	89.8	33 of 432	92.4%	★★★★★
2015	92.9	25 of 430	94.2%	★★★★★
2014	87.5	36 of 438	91.8%	★★★★★
2013	79.6	45 of 436	89.7%	★★★★☆
2012	85.1	30 of 436	93.1%	★★★★★
2011	80.0	52 of 435	88.0%	★★★★☆
2010	79.4	66 of 435	84.8%	★★★★☆
2009	84.0	38 of 425	91.1%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	72.6	43 of 259	83.4%	★★★★☆
2024	68.9	52 of 269	80.7%	★★★★☆
2023	74.8	44 of 263	83.3%	★★★★☆
2022	76.9	41 of 271	84.9%	★★★★☆
2021	70.1	53 of 266	80.1%	★★★★☆
2019	81.2	28 of 252	88.9%	★★★★☆
2018	79.9	32 of 247	87.0%	★★★★☆
2017	89.8	13 of 205	93.7%	★★★★★

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	26.6	102 of 117	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	36.8	66 of 106	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	52.3	24 of 81	70.4%	★★★★☆
2021	91.9	2 of 70	97.1%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	82.4	50 of 415	88.0%	★★★★☆
2024	71.1	93 of 426	78.2%	★★★★☆
2023	72.0	88 of 417	78.9%	★★★★☆
2022	70.4	87 of 423	79.4%	★★★★☆
2021	71.2	77 of 415	81.4%	★★★★☆
2019	86.1	37 of 399	90.7%	★★★★★
2018	78.1	62 of 392	84.2%	★★★★☆
2017	83.8	40 of 380	89.5%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	64.8	49 of 173	71.7%	★★★★☆
2024	49.5	58 of 164	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	60.9	52 of 166	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	57.3	59 of 157	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	60.6	48 of 154	68.8%	★★★★☆
2019	80.7	13 of 124	89.5%	★★★★★
2018	89.5	7 of 113	93.8%	★★★★★
2017	82.3	13 of 108	88.0%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	72.0	87 of 428	79.7%	★★★★☆
2024	62.6	125 of 437	71.4%	★★★★☆
2023	57.2	143 of 410	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	56.5	154 of 421	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	67.2	96 of 415	76.9%	★★★★☆
2019	78.6	44 of 396	88.9%	★★★★☆
2018	79.6	45 of 396	88.6%	★★★★☆
2017	76.7	45 of 349	87.1%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	77.7	69 of 422	83.6%	★★★★☆
2024	71.5	91 of 428	78.7%	★★★★☆
2023	69.6	96 of 419	77.1%	★★★★☆
2022	73.4	78 of 427	81.7%	★★★★☆
2021	74.0	75 of 418	82.1%	★★★★☆
2019	88.3	32 of 399	92.0%	★★★★★
2018	87.3	31 of 397	92.2%	★★★★★
2017	86.9	30 of 380	92.1%	★★★★★

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	57.7	19 of 43	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	25.3	25 of 32	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	41.4	16 of 26	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.0	17 of 26	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	32.6	22 of 29	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	42.9	12 of 19	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.6	10 of 18	44.4%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2024	38.1	44 of 78	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.1	57 of 72	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	55.4	24 of 61	60.7%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	76.7	31 of 271	88.6%	★★★★☆
2024	76.7	34 of 281	87.9%	★★★★☆
2023	71.5	39 of 281	86.1%	★★★★☆
2022	58.4	70 of 256	72.7%	★★★★☆
2021	75.2	24 of 274	91.2%	★★★★★
2019	80.5	19 of 254	92.5%	★★★★★
2018	76.7	28 of 223	87.4%	★★★★☆
2017	74.9	18 of 195	90.8%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	75.8	67 of 377	82.2%	★★★★☆
2024	63.9	100 of 373	73.2%	★★★★☆
2023	63.2	99 of 370	73.2%	★★★★☆
2022	63.9	107 of 376	71.5%	★★★★☆
2021	66.0	90 of 369	75.6%	★★★★☆
2019	84.4	37 of 343	89.2%	★★★★☆
2018	75.2	61 of 331	81.6%	★★★★☆
2017	74.2	46 of 247	81.4%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Special Education (2025)89th percentile~ school

Female (2025)88th percentile~ school

Male (2025)84th percentile-3 vs school

African American (2025)83rd percentile-4 vs school

White (2025)82nd percentile-5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)80th percentile-7 vs school

Hispanic (2025)72nd percentile-15 vs school

Military Connected (2025)56th percentile-31 vs school

Multi-racial (2024)44th percentile-37 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)13th percentile-74 vs school

By subject vs Alabama (2024-2025) ?

English69%+13 vs state

Science52%+10 vs state

Mathematics44%+16 vs state

★

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Schools Near Helena Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				Summative Assessment Mathematics (2025)			Summative Assessment Science (2025)	Summative Assessment English (2025)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Summative Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 8th Grade	Summative Assessment English 6th Grade	Summative Assessment English 7th Grade	Summative Assessment English 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Helena Middle	Public	6-8	1299 Hillsboro Parkway	Helena	35080	Shelby County	Shelby County	No	No	No	No	(205) 682-5300	957	53	18.2	27.5%	667 (69.7%)	147 (15.4%)	100 (10.4%)	13 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	27 (2.8%)	81.8	57^th of 439 public middle schools	87.0%		73.1	88^th of 442 public middle schools	80.1%	31	47.9	44.9	38.2	52.0	70.6	73.0	64.2	$8,076	$681	$7,376
Robert F Bumpus Middle School	Public	6-8	6055 Flemming Parkway	Hoover	35244	Shelby County	Hoover City	No	No	No	No	(205) 439-2200	1,192	78	15.3	22.6%	612 (51.3%)	317 (26.6%)	71 (6.0%)	123 (10.3%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	65 (5.5%)	95.9	12^th of 439 public middle schools	97.3%		97.1	10^th of 442 public middle schools	97.7%	2	61.1	52.9	52.7	75.6	83.9	85.6	86.4	$11,153	$612	$10,539
Pelham Park Middle School	Public	6-8	2016 Pelham Park Boulevard	Pelham	35124	Shelby County	Pelham City	No	No	No	No	(205) 624-3702	835	45	18.5	46.1%	359 (43.0%)	161 (19.3%)	240 (28.7%)	26 (3.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	47 (5.6%)	59.7	153^rd of 439 public middle schools	65.1%		65.6	121^st of 442 public middle schools	72.6%	32	35.4	19.2	22.3	41.4	69.0	63.3	55.4
Thompson Middle School	Public	6-8	100 Warrior Drive	Alabaster	35007	Shelby County	Alabaster City	No	No	No	No	(205) 685-8100	1,444	84	17.2	52.6%	734 (50.8%)	329 (22.8%)	335 (23.2%)	15 (1.0%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	27 (1.9%)	80.6	61^st of 439 public middle schools	86.1%		75.9	78^th of 442 public middle schools	82.4%	17	54.3	35.5	33.6	56.8	72.3	66.1	66.3	$10,052	$1,307	$8,732
STAR Program Middle	Public	6-8	2280 Highway 35	Pelham	35124	Shelby County	Shelby County	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(205) 682-5800																			(n/a)
Ira F Simmons Middle School	Public	6-8	1575 Patton Chapel Road	Hoover	35226	Jefferson County	Hoover City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 439-2100	860	62	13.8	44.3%	448 (52.1%)	226 (26.3%)	120 (14.0%)	29 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	35 (4.1%)	90.1	38^th of 439 public middle schools	91.3%		92.2	31^st of 442 public middle schools	93.0%	7	49.5	50.0	52.7	63.2	76.4	77.1	74.3	$12,051	$881	$11,168
McAdory Middle School	Public	6-8	5450 Yellow Jacket Boulevard	Mc Calla	35111	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	No	(205) 379-4730	841	49	17.3	58.3%	122 (14.5%)	526 (62.5%)	171 (20.3%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (2.1%)	25.2	332^nd of 439 public middle schools	24.4%		30.9	318^th of 442 public middle schools	28.1%	14	13.0	6.5	3.6	23.4	49.1	40.1	48.2	$8,010	$1,145	$6,851
Bessemer City Middle School	Public	6-8	100 High School Drive	Bessemer	35020	Jefferson County	Bessemer City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 432-3601	616	30	20.5	84.4%	5 (0.8%)	454 (73.7%)	136 (22.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.2%)	10.8	409^th of 439 public middle schools	6.8%		8.7	425^th of 442 public middle schools	3.8%	16	6.0	6.7	7.0	7.0	29.3	29.6	15.3	$8,921	$1,718	$7,187
Empower Community School Upper Campus	Public, Charter	4-8	751A Academy Drive	Bessemer	35022	Jefferson County	Empower Schools of Alabama	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(205) 413-8600	211			76.3%	1 (0.5%)	164 (77.7%)	43 (20.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)								(n/a)
Calera Middle	Public	6-8	9178 Highway 22	Montevallo	35115	Shelby County	Shelby County	No	No	No	No	(205) 682-6140	767	46	16.8	62.5%	277 (36.1%)	330 (43.0%)	108 (14.1%)	12 (1.6%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	35 (4.6%)	41.1	267^th of 439 public middle schools	39.2%		51.8	198^th of 442 public middle schools	55.2%	69	23.6	16.7	15.5	37.1	45.4	52.5	51.9	$8,564	$701	$7,844

Frequently Asked Questions about Helena Middle

How many students attend Helena Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 957 students attended Helena Middle.

What high school do graduates of Helena Middle attend?

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

What is the racial makeup of Helena Middle?

Students at Helena Middle are 70% White, 15% African American, 10% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What district is Helena Middle in?

Shelby County

Is Helena Middle a good school?

Helena Middle ranks 57^th of 439 Alabama middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Helena Middle!

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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.