Elementary Schools in Dallas County

The six elementary schools in Dallas County, Alabama, serve roughly 1,120 students across grades PK-8, with school sizes ranging from 110 to 353 students and all facing high economic disadvantage (77-88% free/reduced lunch).

For parents, the standout choice is Valley Grande Elementary School, which leads the district in academics despite having the lowest per-student spending ($8,689). It posts the best math (19.75%) and English (54.04%) averages, the lowest economic disadvantage rate (77.05%), and is the only school with a consistent 1-star rating. In contrast, JE Terry Elementary School tells a cautionary tale: it receives the highest funding ($12,312) and has the best student-teacher ratio (13.7:1), yet its state ranking collapsed from the 72nd to the 26th percentile in two years—though it still shows strong English proficiency. Bruce K Craig Elementary School is puzzling: it has the district's best attendance (4.6% chronic absenteeism) but the worst academics, including a 0% science proficiency rate. Salem Elementary School shows volatile year-to-year swings (3rd-grade math jumping from 13.64% to 50%), while Brantley Elementary School and Southside Primary School struggle with math averages below 10%.

District-wide, all schools rank in the bottom 30% of Alabama, with proficiency gaps of 15-30 points below state averages in every subject. A consistent pattern emerges: English proficiency outpaces math at every school, and performance erodes as students advance (Valley Grande's 3rd-grade math of 43.1% drops to 9.43% by 5th grade). The funding-performance paradox is striking—higher spending doesn't guarantee better results—and the attendance-achievement disconnect at Bruce K Craig suggests instructional quality, not student engagement, is the key barrier. For parents, Valley Grande offers the most reliable path to success, while JE Terry's past excellence proves improvement is possible if systemic issues are addressed.