Elementary Schools in Marshall County

The seven elementary schools in Marshall County, Alabama, serve approximately 3,281 students across Pre-K through 5th grade, with a mix of primary schools (PK-2 or K-2) and intermediate/elementary schools (grades 3-5), and the district overall ranks in the bottom third of Alabama districts with a 2-star rating.

For parents, the standout option is the Kate D Smith DAR Elementary School, which ranks in the 63rd percentile (3 stars) and has the district's lowest poverty rate at just 28.75% free/reduced lunch. Its counterpart, Kate D Smith DAR Intermediate School, is also a top performer, with 80% of 5th graders proficient in English—the best single subject score in the district. At the other end, Asbury Elementary School is struggling, with the highest poverty rate (73.25%), highest chronic absenteeism (4.4%), and a ranking that has slipped to the 20th percentile. Its 5th grade math proficiency of just 11.61% is the lowest score in any subject across all schools. Douglas Elementary School also faces challenges with a 73.13% poverty rate and below-average test scores.

Attendance is a clear district strength—every school beats the state's 12% chronic absenteeism average, with Brindlee Mountain Elementary School leading at just 0.7%. However, academic performance lags state averages across all subjects, with the widest gaps in 5th grade math (district 25.33% vs. state 39.06%) and 5th grade English (57.42% vs. 69.53%). Notably, Brindlee Mountain Elementary School spends the most per student ($13,239) yet achieves only mid-pack results, while Kate D Smith DAR Elementary School spends far less ($8,167) and outperforms it—suggesting funding alone doesn't drive success. The primary schools (Robert D Sloman Primary and Brindlee Mountain Primary School) lack test data since testing starts in 3rd grade, but the transition into intermediate grades reveals significant gaps, particularly for students entering Asbury and Douglas. English proficiency consistently outpaces math across every school, and year-to-year scores swing noticeably, likely reflecting small cohort sizes rather than instructional changes.