Best Public Schools in Hayneville, AL

The four public schools serving Hayneville, Alabama, are part of the Lowndes County school district, which ranks in the bottom 10th percentile statewide and serves a predominantly high-poverty student population, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from roughly 75% to 88%.

For parents, the standout choice in this area is JacksonSteele Elementary School. It is the only school in the district with a 2-star rating, and its state percentile rank (34th–35th) is dramatically higher than its peers. It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 11.7%, which is actually below the state average, and its 5th-grade English proficiency rates (64.71% in 2025-2026 and 86.36% in 2024-2025) are the best in the district by far. In contrast, Central High School faces the most severe challenges, ranking in the bottom 1st percentile statewide, with 0% of 11th graders proficient in Science and only 2% proficient in Math. Central Elementary School and Hayneville Middle School also struggle, with proficiency rates well below state averages across all subjects.

Chronic absenteeism is a critical issue at three of the four schools, with rates around 24–25%—double the state average—and this strongly correlates with lower test scores. The data also reveals a sharp drop in performance at the high school level, suggesting students are not catching up by 11th grade. While the district spends over $12,000 per student and Central High School has a favorable 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio, these resources are not translating into academic success. The exception is JacksonSteele Elementary School, which proves that strong attendance and targeted literacy instruction can yield positive results even in a high-poverty district.