Elementary Schools in Geneva County

The Geneva County school district in Alabama is home to three elementary schools—Slocomb Elementary School, Geneva County Elementary School, and Samson Elementary School—all serving grades PK-5 in a rural area with moderate-to-high economic need, as reflected by free/reduced lunch rates ranging from about 55% to 70%.

For parents, the standout choice is Geneva County Elementary School, which ranks 87th out of 686 Alabama elementary schools (87th percentile) and has shown remarkable improvement, jumping from 174th to 87th over two years. It leads the district in nearly every subject, with 5th grade English proficiency at 85.45% and 4th grade science at 76.06%, both far above state averages. Slocomb Elementary School is a solid, consistent option, ranking 148th (78th percentile) with excellent math scores—5th grade math proficiency is 65.88% versus the state's 39.06%—and the lowest chronic absenteeism in the district at just 5.9%. Samson Elementary School is the struggling school, ranking 449th (35th percentile) with a declining trajectory and a critical weakness in math: only 19.15% of 5th graders and 22.22% of 3rd graders are proficient, compared to state averages near 39-45%. However, Samson does show relative strength in English, exceeding state averages in 3rd and 5th grades.

Key takeaways include a district-wide strength in English language arts, with all three schools at or above state averages. There is also a clear link between economic disadvantage and performance, though Geneva County Elementary proves high poverty doesn't preclude success. Interestingly, Geneva County Elementary achieves top results despite having the worst attendance (12.3% chronic absenteeism), while Slocomb has the best attendance but lower scores. Finally, Samson spends the most per student ($9,056) yet performs worst, suggesting funding efficiency matters more than raw spending. The district's 4-star rating masks these wide disparities, so parents should weigh each school's specific strengths and challenges carefully.