Summary:
The city of Guntersville, Alabama, is served by seven schools across two districts—Guntersville City and Marshall County—covering grades PK through 12 with a total enrollment of roughly 2,655 students.
For parents, the clearest takeaway is the significant performance gap between the two districts. Guntersville City schools are the clear academic leaders, ranking in the 83rd percentile statewide. Cherokee Elementary School is the standout, with 4th grade math proficiency at 71% versus the state average of 42%, and it holds a consistent 4-star rating. Guntersville High School has strong momentum, jumping to the 86th percentile with a 95.7% graduation rate, though it has a notable 22.5% chronic absenteeism rate—double the state average. In contrast, Marshall County schools rank in the 30th percentile. Brindlee Mountain High School shows modest improvement but lags in math, while Marshall County Online School is the lowest performer, with just 3% of 11th graders proficient in math despite having zero chronic absenteeism.
Economic factors don't tell the whole story. All schools have roughly 50-77% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, yet Guntersville City achieves top-quartile results anyway. Spending also doesn't predict success—Guntersville Middle School spends the least per student ($8,940) yet outperforms Brindlee Mountain High School ($9,637). A concerning trend is the math slide at Guntersville Middle School, where proficiency drops from 44.7% in 6th grade to 19% in 8th grade. Meanwhile, Brindlee Mountain Primary School has exceptional attendance (0.9% chronic absenteeism) despite high poverty levels. For families, the data clearly favors Guntersville City schools, but the high school's attendance issues and the middle school math decline are worth monitoring.
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