Best Public Schools in Grant, AL

The city of Grant, Alabama, is served by four schools within the Marshall County school district, covering Pre-K through 12th grade with a combined enrollment of about 1,602 students across a centralized campus. The standout is Kate D Smith DAR High School, which earns a 4-star rating (74th percentile) and leads the group with a 94.3% graduation rate, just 1.0% chronic absenteeism, and above-state-average proficiency in both English (42.25%) and science (41.67%). Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle also impresses with 74.71% 8th-grade English proficiency and a dramatic one-year jump in 8th-grade science from 34% to 57.95%. The elementary and intermediate schools, Kate D Smith DAR Elementary School and Kate D Smith DAR Intermediate School, provide solid foundations, with the elementary school ranking in the 63rd percentile and the intermediate school showing strong early literacy gains.

Attendance is a district-wide triumph: chronic absenteeism ranges from just 1.0% at the high school to 2.5% at the elementary school, compared to a 12.0% state average. English proficiency is consistently strong across all grade levels, from 71.68% in 3rd grade to 80% in 5th grade, outpacing state averages at every checkpoint. However, math is a clear weakness, particularly in 7th grade where only 13.95% of students are proficient versus 24.46% statewide. Economic demographics vary notably, with the intermediate school reporting 53.25% free/reduced lunch eligibility versus 28.75% at the elementary school, despite overlapping grades. Per-student spending also differs sharply, with the high school at $11,985 compared to $7,218 at the middle school.

For parents, the key takeaway is that Grant’s schools punch above their district’s modest 2-star ranking. The high school and middle school deliver strong academics and exceptional attendance, while the elementary and intermediate schools build a solid literacy foundation. The main concern is math, especially at the middle school level, where targeted support could yield significant gains. Overall, this is a stable, community-focused set of schools with a clear academic identity—strong in reading, weak in math—and a remarkable ability to keep students in class.