Summary:
The Demopolis City school district in Alabama serves approximately 1,918 students across four schools (PK-12), and is ranked 35th out of 139 districts in the state with a 4-star rating. The district includes two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school, all of which show distinct strengths and areas for growth.
Demopolis Middle School is the standout performer, ranking in the 77th percentile statewide and showing strong year-over-year improvement. Its 6th-grade math proficiency rate of 58.33% is a remarkable 23 points above the state average, and 8th-grade science proficiency jumped nearly 18 points to 63.85%. However, math proficiency drops sharply by 8th grade, suggesting a curriculum challenge in later middle school years. US Jones Elementary School also excels, particularly in English Language Arts, with 5th graders hitting 74.83% proficiency—well above the state average—and its overall ranking improved dramatically from the 54th to the 63rd percentile. Meanwhile, Demopolis High School outperforms state averages in math and science but lags significantly in English, with only 26.05% proficiency compared to the state's 33.73%.
A key concern is the academic slide from elementary to high school. Students who thrive in early grades (60-75% English proficiency) and 6th grade (58% math) see performance decline by 11th grade, particularly in English. This suggests transition challenges or compounding difficulty. On the positive side, chronic absenteeism is well-managed across all schools, with Westside Elementary School leading at just 8.7%. Notably, US Jones Elementary achieves above-average results despite having the highest free/reduced lunch rate (60.09%), showing that economic factors don't dictate success. Spending varies widely—from $8,262 per student at US Jones to $10,352 at Westside—but higher spending doesn't correlate with better outcomes, as the middle school achieves strong results at a mid-range cost of $8,635 per student.
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