Middle Schools in Hoover City

The three middle schools in Hoover City—Robert F Bumpus Middle School, Berry Middle School, and Ira F Simmons Middle School—serve grades 6-8 and collectively enroll about 3,110 students, with all three ranking in the top 10% of Alabama schools and the district itself ranking 13th out of 139 statewide.

For parents, the standout choice for consistent top-tier academics is Bumpus Middle School, which holds the district's highest state ranking (20th in 2025-2026) and boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate at just 3.8%. However, its ranking has slipped from 10th to 20th over three years, partly due to a decline in 8th-grade math proficiency. Berry Middle School is the model of stability, maintaining a 97th percentile ranking for three straight years while offering the lowest student-teacher ratio (14.5:1) and the highest 6th-grade math scores (64.44%). Ira F Simmons Middle School is the growth story, showing a remarkable 7.71-point jump in 6th-grade math proficiency, though it remains the lowest-ranked school and serves the highest percentage of students on free/reduced lunch (44.3%).

Across the district, all schools dramatically outperform state averages—6th-grade math proficiency is nearly double the state rate—and every school posted significant gains in 8th-grade science. One notable pattern is a district-wide dip in 7th-grade math, the weakest subject area at all three schools. Interestingly, Simmons receives the most per-student funding ($12,051) yet scores lowest, while Berry spends the least ($10,356) but outperforms it, suggesting that factors beyond spending and class size drive success. Overall, Hoover City offers an exceptionally high-quality middle school education, with each school providing strong academics despite varying demographic and operational challenges.