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Bessemer City Middle School

Public Grades 6-8

404^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 449 Alabama Middle Schools

Better than 10% of Alabama middle schools

Summary

Bessemer City Middle School serves 616 students in grades 6-8 within the Bessemer City district, a mid-sized school in Bessemer, Alabama, where 84.4% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Academically, the school faces significant challenges, with math proficiency rates critically low across all grades—most notably in 7th grade, where only 1.01% of students meet state standards compared to the state average of 24.46%. English scores are stronger but still trail state averages by roughly 25-30 percentage points. However, there are encouraging signs: 6th grade math proficiency improved dramatically from 0.82% to 11.64% over two years, and 8th grade math rose from 2.17% to 13.76%. The school's standout success is its English Language Learner program, which jumped from the 26th to the 50th percentile statewide in a single year—a remarkable achievement that suggests targeted interventions are working. Multi-racial students also showed strong gains, moving from the 3rd to the 29th percentile.

Chronic absenteeism remains a critical barrier at 29.5%, more than double the state average of 12.0%, though it has improved from 39.0% two years ago. This is particularly striking when compared to nearby Green Acres Middle School (2.8% absenteeism) and Jones Valley Middle School (5.1%), suggesting school-specific factors are at play. The educational landscape within a 9-mile radius is starkly divided: Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School ranks #1 in the state, while Bessemer City Middle ranks #398 out of 443. Per-student spending of $8,921 is lower than many peers, though Hueytown Middle School spends less ($7,214) yet outperforms in most metrics. The path forward lies in tackling absenteeism, understanding the 7th grade drop-off, and scaling the successful ELL strategies to other student groups.

616

Students ?

20.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,754

Per pupil spending ?

84.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

100 High School Drive
Bessemer, AL 35020-6599

(205) 432-3601

District: Bessemer City

Students who attend Bessemer City Middle School usually attend:

High:

Bessemer City High School

Feeder schools for Bessemer City Middle School:

Elementary:	Abrams Elementary School
	Charles F Hard Elementary School
	Greenwood Elementary School
	Jonesboro Elementary School
	More...
	Westhills Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

73.7%

Hispanic:

22.1%

Two or more races:

3.2%

See top rated Alabama middle schools

Compare Bessemer City Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 12th percentile in 2016 → 10th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Alabama average (33% vs 44% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (10th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (30% vs 12% Alabama)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school33%

District avg33%

Alabama avg44%

404^th of 449

Alabama public middle schools ?

Bottom 10%▼ down 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Alabama Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

133^rd of 140Bessemer City among Alabama districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	13.0	404 of 449	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	10.8	409 of 439	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.7	425 of 442	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	9.9	411 of 437	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	13.0	378 of 432	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	17.4	370 of 440	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	17.0	362 of 437	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	18.5	340 of 423	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	13.2	374 of 432	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	12.0	382 of 432	11.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	9.1	407 of 430	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	8.0	422 of 438	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	27.4	359 of 436	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	10.1	411 of 436	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	61.9	173 of 435	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2010	20.8	365 of 435	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	43.1	266 of 425	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2008	45.2	247 of 417	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2007	60.3	159 of 412	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2006	34.9	295 of 409	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	35.8	294 of 415	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	25.6	329 of 407	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	23.8	226 of 269	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	24.4	213 of 259	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	18.8	252 of 269	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	20.2	241 of 263	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	30.4	198 of 271	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	36.9	151 of 266	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	37.2	151 of 252	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.4	128 of 247	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	28.1	162 of 205	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	41.5	52 of 103	49.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	31.8	87 of 117	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	40.5	50 of 106	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	63.8	21 of 94	77.7%	★★★★☆
2022	45.5	35 of 81	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	39.7	38 of 70	45.7%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	11.9	390 of 427	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	11.4	382 of 415	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.5	413 of 426	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	8.8	404 of 417	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	13.5	382 of 423	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	17.0	356 of 415	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	17.5	339 of 399	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.5	315 of 392	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	12.8	335 of 380	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	24.0	69 of 82	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.0	155 of 173	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.2	142 of 164	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.2	111 of 166	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	21.1	142 of 157	9.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	25.5	123 of 154	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	47.4	60 of 124	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	43.4	54 of 113	52.2%	★★★☆☆
2017	36.9	66 of 108	38.9%	★★☆☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2018	22.2	18 of 23	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	18.4	382 of 438	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	15.0	391 of 428	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	10.5	423 of 437	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	13.5	385 of 410	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	15.4	384 of 421	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	22.6	340 of 415	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	19.7	337 of 396	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.4	318 of 396	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	18.6	301 of 349	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	14.6	377 of 426	11.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	11.1	395 of 422	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	9.8	411 of 428	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	12.7	384 of 419	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	13.9	383 of 427	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	18.3	352 of 418	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	17.4	344 of 399	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	16.5	335 of 397	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	14.1	333 of 380	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	28.7	104 of 146	28.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	8.5	89 of 92	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	5.8	78 of 78	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	8.1	72 of 72	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	4.7	60 of 60	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	5.6	60 of 61	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	16.8	45 of 46	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	18.3	253 of 269	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	17.2	264 of 271	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	19.7	268 of 281	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	26.8	231 of 281	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	59.1	67 of 256	73.8%	★★★★☆
2021	60.6	59 of 274	78.5%	★★★★☆
2019	36.9	165 of 254	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	23.4	188 of 223	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	27.5	154 of 195	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	10.6	356 of 377	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.7	363 of 373	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	10.6	353 of 370	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	8.7	367 of 376	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	18.6	325 of 369	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	18.4	309 of 343	9.9%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2026)50th percentile+39 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)29th percentile+19 vs school

Homeless (2018)22nd percentile~ school

African American (2026)16th percentile+6 vs school

Hispanic (2026)16th percentile+6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)13th percentile+3 vs school

Male (2026)12th percentile~ school

Female (2026)9th percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)6th percentile-4 vs school

White (2025)6th percentile~ school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics42%+13 vs state

Science30%-24 vs state

English26%-31 vs state

★

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Schools Near Bessemer City Middle School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				Summative Assessment Mathematics (2026)					Summative Assessment Science (2026)		Summative Assessment English (2026)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Summative Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 8th Grade	Summative Assessment English 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 5th Grade	Summative Assessment English 6th Grade	Summative Assessment English 7th Grade	Summative Assessment English 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Bessemer City Middle School	Public	6-8	100 High School Drive	Bessemer	35020	Jefferson County	Bessemer City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 432-3601	616	30	20.5	84.4%	5 (0.8%)	454 (73.7%)	136 (22.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.2%)	13	404^th of 449 public middle schools	10.0%		10.8	409^th of 439 public middle schools	6.8%	5			11.6	1.0	13.8		29.6			27.0	20.4	30.5	$13,754	$4,066	$9,680
Empower Community School Upper Campus	Public, Charter	4-8	751A Academy Drive	Bessemer	35022	Jefferson County	Empower Schools of Alabama	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(205) 413-8600	211			76.3%	1 (0.5%)	164 (77.7%)	43 (20.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	11.9	411^th of 449 public middle schools	8.5%					(n/a)	2.2	0.0	4.4	4.9	6.1	26.7	22.5	35.6	43.3	26.1	31.7	36.7
McAdory Middle School	Public	6-8	5450 Yellow Jacket Boulevard	Mc Calla	35111	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	No	(205) 379-4730	841	49	17.3	58.3%	122 (14.5%)	526 (62.5%)	171 (20.3%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (2.1%)	22.5	349^th of 449 public middle schools	22.3%		25.2	332^nd of 439 public middle schools	24.4%	17			13.8	8.0	5.5		29.8			41.0	46.2	44.3	$9,536	$1,028	$8,493
Hueytown Middle School	Public	6-8	701 Sunrise Blvd	Hueytown	35023	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 379-5150	755	47	16.0	72.3%	150 (19.9%)	429 (56.8%)	170 (22.5%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.5%)	20.3	361^st of 449 public middle schools	19.6%		19.4	357^th of 439 public middle schools	18.7%	4			4.3	6.0	9.4		41.1			33.6	38.4	44.3	$11,304	$2,979	$8,309
Rutledge School	Public	5-8	1221 8th St	Midfield	35228	Jefferson County	Midfield City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 780-8647	288	15	19.8	90.3%	8 (2.8%)	248 (86.1%)	29 (10.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	12.8	405^th of 449 public middle schools	9.8%		10.7	410^th of 439 public middle schools	6.6%	5		17.0	15.6	5.9	3.0		18.2		43.4	33.9	30.6	30.3
Robert F Bumpus Middle School	Public	6-8	6055 Flemming Parkway	Hoover	35244	Jefferson County	Hoover City	No	No	No	No	(205) 439-2200	1,192	78	15.3	22.6%	612 (51.3%)	317 (26.6%)	71 (6.0%)	123 (10.3%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	65 (5.5%)	94.3	20^th of 449 public middle schools	95.5%		95.9	12^th of 439 public middle schools	97.3%	8			60.0	53.5	47.9		81.6			81.3	85.5	85.3	$11,928	$849	$11,068
Green Acres Middle School	Public	6-8	1220 67th Street West	Birmingham	35228	Jefferson County	Birmingham City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 231-1370	309	14	22.0	84.5%	4 (1.3%)	266 (86.1%)	36 (11.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	14.7	393^rd of 449 public middle schools	12.5%		18.1	370^th of 439 public middle schools	15.7%	23			11.0	5.8	5.3		18.8			37.8	36.3	34.4	$20,826	$7,119	$13,703
Ira F Simmons Middle School	Public	6-8	1575 Patton Chapel Road	Hoover	35226	Jefferson County	Hoover City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 439-2100	860	62	13.8	44.3%	448 (52.1%)	226 (26.3%)	120 (14.0%)	29 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	35 (4.1%)	90.1	38^th of 449 public middle schools	91.5%		90.1	38^th of 439 public middle schools	91.3%				57.2	47.4	53.6		71.8			74.6	72.9	80.4	$14,499	$2,031	$12,456
Jones Valley Middle School	Public	6-8	2000 31st Street SW	Birmingham	35221	Jefferson County	Birmingham City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 231-1040	465	22	21.6	85.8%	2 (0.4%)	386 (83.0%)	68 (14.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.7%)	8.4	427^th of 449 public middle schools	4.9%		8	426^th of 439 public middle schools	3.0%	1			3.9	1.3	0.8		17.1			28.1	30.6	25.6	$14,169	$5,164	$9,000
Helena Middle	Public	6-8	1299 Hillsboro Parkway	Helena	35080	Shelby County	Shelby County	No	No	No	No	(205) 682-5300	957	53	18.2	27.5%	667 (69.7%)	147 (15.4%)	100 (10.4%)	13 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	27 (2.8%)	84.8	49^th of 449 public middle schools	89.1%		81.8	57^th of 439 public middle schools	87.0%	8			51.4	48.4	34.9		72.6			69.4	72.2	76.7	$10,537	$905	$9,383

Frequently Asked Questions about Bessemer City Middle School

What high school do graduates of Bessemer City Middle School attend?

Students who attend Bessemer City Middle School usually go on to attend Bessemer City High School

How many students attend Bessemer City Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 616 students attended Bessemer City Middle School.

Is Bessemer City Middle School a good school?

Bessemer City Middle School ranks in the bottom 10.0% of Alabama middle schools.

What district is Bessemer City Middle School in?

Bessemer City

What is the racial makeup of Bessemer City Middle School?

Students at Bessemer City Middle School are 74% African American, 22% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

Rate Bessemer City Middle School!

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Latest Alabama data All new data »

2019–20 through 2022–23 school spending dataNewOct 6, 2026

2025–26 Summative Assessment scoresAug 14, 2026

2024–25 attendance data & graduation ratesDec 27, 2025

2024–25 Summative Assessment scoresAug 14, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Alabama State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.