Summary:
The city of Samson, Alabama, is served by three public schools within the Geneva County School District, a small, close-knit educational community of roughly 700 students spanning grades PK-12. Samson Elementary School (PK-5) enrolls 361 students, Samson Middle School (6-8) has 156 students, and Samson High School (9-12) serves 183 students.
Samson High School is the district's standout performer, boasting a 95.6% graduation rate, the lowest chronic absenteeism (4.9%), and a state ranking that improved to the 55th percentile. Its science proficiency jumped dramatically from 22% to 35% in one year, nearly matching the state average. In contrast, Samson Elementary School shows a notable strength in English, with 5th graders at 72% proficiency—above the state average—despite nearly 70% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. However, Samson Middle School faces the biggest challenge: its 8th grade science proficiency (36%) trails the district average by roughly 26 percentage points, and it has the highest student-teacher ratio (19.5:1) with the lowest per-student spending ($9,122).
Mathematics is the district's weakest subject across all grade levels, with 5th grade math at the elementary school at just 19% proficiency versus a 52% district average. Chronic absenteeism is a bright spot district-wide, with all schools well below the 12% state average. While the high school is recovering, both the elementary and middle schools have seen three consecutive years of declining state rankings, suggesting challenges in lower grades that haven't yet surfaced at the high school level. The high school also spends significantly more per student ($11,623) than the other two schools, which may partially explain its stronger performance.
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