Summary:
The city of Moulton, Alabama, is served by the Lawrence County school district and contains three public schools—Moulton Elementary School (PK-4), Moulton Middle School (5-8), and Lawrence County High School (9-12)—together serving roughly 1,786 students in a small-town setting.
For parents, the standout story is the contrast between the elementary and high school experiences. Moulton Elementary is the academic leader, with strong English proficiency (66% in 3rd grade) and science scores that nearly match the state average. However, its performance is volatile, with 3rd grade math dropping 18 points year-over-year. Lawrence County High School excels at keeping students on track—boasting a 95.5% graduation rate and the lowest chronic absenteeism (8.6%) in the district—even though its 11th grade test scores are low (16.5% math, 20% English). The clear area of concern is Moulton Middle School, which has the highest student-teacher ratio (20.2:1), the lowest per-student funding ($6,763 vs. over $9,400 at the other two schools), and the most troubling academic slide, particularly in 7th grade math where proficiency fell to just 7.3%.
Across the district, a "middle school slide" is evident: students start with decent foundational skills but lose ground dramatically by high school. Science is a relative strength at every level, while math lags far behind state averages. The high school paradox—low test scores but excellent graduation rates—suggests strong retention efforts, but the middle school's funding and staffing disparities likely contribute to its struggles. Parents should also note that elementary chronic absenteeism (14.4%) is the highest in the district, a pattern worth addressing early. Overall, the district ranks in the 29th percentile statewide, with bright spots in elementary English and high school persistence, but clear needs for targeted math intervention and middle school resource allocation.
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