Summary:
Ranburne, Alabama is served by two schools within the Cleburne County district, which together educate 869 students across grades PK-12 in a small, rural community setting.
For parents, the standout story is Ranburne Elementary School, which has made a dramatic leap to the 84th percentile statewide. This school excels in English and science, with 3rd and 4th grade English proficiency rates (84.15% and 83.33%) far exceeding state averages, and 4th grade science proficiency at 68.52% versus 50.23% statewide. It also maintains a low chronic absenteeism rate of 8.7%. Interestingly, this success comes despite the school serving a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (44.9% free/reduced lunch) than the high school. In contrast, Ranburne High School (grades 5-12) is a solid but less dynamic performer, holding a consistent 3-star rating. Its greatest strength is an excellent 98.2% graduation rate and strong 8th-grade science scores (68.66% proficiency). However, the high school shows a concerning "middle school slump," with math proficiency declining from 54.55% in 5th grade to just 16.33% by 11th grade—a figure nearly 11 points below the state average.
The most important takeaway is the divergence between the two schools. The elementary school is clearly outperforming the high school in nearly every comparable metric, despite having higher poverty rates and lower per-student spending ($8,234 vs. $9,570). This suggests the district's foundational instruction is highly effective, but momentum is lost as students advance. The high school's higher chronic absenteeism (12.4% vs. 8.7%) likely contributes to this decline. For parents, this means Ranburne offers an exceptional early education experience, but they should be aware that math support becomes increasingly critical as children move into middle and high school grades. The district's overall 4-star rating reflects genuine strengths, but targeted math intervention in the secondary years could make a significant difference.
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