Middle Schools in Chambers County

Chambers County, Alabama is home to two middle schools serving grades 6-8: W F Burns Middle School in Valley and John P Powell Middle School in Lafayette, both part of the Chambers County district, which ranks in the bottom quarter of Alabama districts.

W F Burns is the clear academic leader, ranking 317th out of 443 schools statewide compared to John P Powell's 396th place. The gap is most dramatic in 8th-grade science, where W F Burns posts a 55.88% proficiency rate—actually exceeding the state average—while John P Powell manages just 10.64%. W F Burns also shows positive momentum, improving its state ranking for three straight years and cutting chronic absenteeism to 7.1%, far below the state's 12.0%. John P Powell, by contrast, has seen its ranking decline and struggles with a 13.3% chronic absenteeism rate and 76.43% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. Interestingly, John P Powell spends $13,362 per student—66% more than W F Burns' $8,033—yet achieves lower scores, suggesting the extra funding is addressing greater student needs rather than boosting test results.

Both schools share a critical weakness in math, with proficiency rates roughly one-third to one-half of state averages. Seventh-grade math is especially dire: W F Burns sits at 8.52% and John P Powell at 4.08%. English scores are comparatively stronger, with W F Burns' 7th-grade English reaching 47.31% against the state's 56.51%. W F Burns serves nearly four times as many students (545 vs. 140) at a lower per-student cost, demonstrating economies of scale. For parents, W F Burns offers the more promising trajectory, particularly its standout science program, while John P Powell faces steeper challenges tied to higher poverty and absenteeism. The district's math instruction warrants urgent attention across both schools.