Elementary Schools in Lee County

The Lee County school district in Alabama is home to seven elementary schools serving grades PK-6 (with one exception), enrolling roughly 4,650 students in a mix of small-town and rural communities. These schools range in size from 332 students at Loachapoka Elementary School to 811 students at West Smiths Station Elementary School, and they show a wide range of academic performance despite being in the same district.

Wacoochee Elementary School is the clear academic leader, ranking in the 80th percentile statewide and posting standout math scores—62.65% of 3rd graders and 62.86% of 4th graders are proficient, far above district and state averages. South Smiths Station Elementary School is also a strong performer, consistently ranking in the 74th-85th percentile, while Beulah Elementary School has shown the most improvement, jumping from the 33rd to the 59th percentile in three years. At the other end, Loachapoka Elementary School struggles significantly, holding a 1-star rating with math proficiency rates between 13% and 25%—less than half the district average. The three Smiths Station schools (West, East, and South) serve similar demographics but vary notably, with South outperforming its sister schools.

District-wide, English proficiency consistently outpaces math—the gap is 23.4 percentage points in 3rd grade (73.1% vs. 49.7%). Interestingly, Loachapoka receives the highest per-student funding ($11,072) yet has the lowest outcomes, while Wacoochee spends less ($8,808) and achieves the best results. Chronic absenteeism doesn't predict performance either—South Smiths Station has the highest rate (12.4%) but performs well. Several schools also show declining scores as students advance, with Beulah's 4th-grade math dropping to 29.69% from 65% in 3rd grade, suggesting curriculum transition challenges.