Summary:
The city of Southside, Alabama is home to two schools - Southside High School and Southside Elementary School, both part of the Etowah County school district. While Southside Elementary has consistently ranked in the top 25% of Alabama elementary schools, Southside High School has seen a decline in its statewide ranking over the past 3 years.
Southside Elementary School stands out as a high-performing institution, with 84.88% of 3rd graders proficient or better in English Language Arts in 2024-2025, compared to the state average of 65.34%. The school also has lower chronic absenteeism rates than the high school, indicating strong student engagement. In contrast, Southside High School's test scores lag behind the state averages in math, science, and English.
Both schools have high rates of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, over 40%, suggesting the Southside community faces socioeconomic challenges. While the per-student spending levels are similar between the elementary and high school, the lower student-teacher ratio at the elementary school may contribute to its stronger academic performance. The data highlights the need to further investigate the factors driving the performance gap between the two schools and implement targeted interventions to support student success across all grade levels in the Southside area.
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