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West Decatur Elementary School

Q: Is West Decatur Elementary School a good school?

West Decatur Elementary School ranks in the bottom 10.6% of Alabama elementary schools.

Q: How many students attend West Decatur Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 407 students attended West Decatur Elementary School.

Q: What is the racial makeup of West Decatur Elementary School?

Students at West Decatur Elementary School are 68% Hispanic, 19% African American, 10% White, 3% Two or more races.

Q: What schools do graduates of West Decatur Elementary School attend?

Students who attend West Decatur Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Austin Middle School High : Austin High School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

613^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 686 Alabama Elementary Schools

Better than 11% of Alabama elementary schools

Summary

West Decatur Elementary School is a PK-5 public school in Decatur, AL, serving 407 students in a predominantly low-income area, with 81% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. It is part of the Decatur City school district.

West Decatur is currently the lowest-performing elementary school in the district, ranking in the 11th percentile statewide (613th out of 686 schools). Academic proficiency is significantly below nearby schools. For example, only 24.6% of 3rd graders are proficient in math, compared to 48.0% at Julian Harris Elementary School and 74.2% at Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School, both just a few miles away. The gap is even wider in 4th grade science, where only 13.1% of West Decatur students are proficient versus 67.7% at Julian Harris. The school also has a higher student-teacher ratio (16.6:1) than most peers, including Eastwood Elementary School (15.2:1) and Chestnut Grove Elementary School (13.4:1).

Despite these challenges, there are some positive signs. Chronic absenteeism is a notable strength at just 5.3%, well below the state average of 12.0%. English Language Arts scores have nearly doubled over the past few years, rising from 20.8% proficiency in 3rd grade (2022-2023) to 40.6% (2025-2026). English Language Learner students also perform relatively well, ranking in the 37th percentile statewide. The school's overall percentile ranking has slowly improved from 3rd (2015-2016) to 11th (2025-2026), suggesting a gradual upward trajectory. However, the proximity of the 5-star Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School likely draws higher-performing students away, concentrating the most at-risk students at West Decatur and making systemic improvement an ongoing challenge.

407

Students ?

16.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,695

Per pupil spending ?

81.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

708 Memorial Dr Sw
Decatur, AL 35601-2917

(256) 552-3027

District: Decatur City

Students who attend West Decatur Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Austin Middle School
High:	Austin High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

67.8%

African American:

18.7%

White:

10.1%

See top rated Alabama elementary schools

Compare West Decatur Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 3rd percentile in 2016 → 11th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 8 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Alabama average (28% vs 53% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (11th percentile)

!Science scores 37 pts below the Alabama average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school28%

District avg50%

Alabama avg53%

613^th of 686

Alabama public elementary schools ?

Bottom 11%▲ up 7 pts since 2016

From bottom 3% (2016) to bottom 11% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alabama Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

11^th of 11Elementary Schools in the Decatur City

88^th of 139Decatur 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	13.1	613 of 686	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	14.9	588 of 680	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	11.3	625 of 684	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	9.9	635 of 680	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	12.6	609 of 687	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	15.0	596 of 692	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	12.3	620 of 681	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	8.8	640 of 680	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	7.4	667 of 688	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	7.3	669 of 691	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	24.7	540 of 691	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	19.1	592 of 695	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	42.4	499 of 696	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	28.0	580 of 696	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	27.1	592 of 709	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	26.3	602 of 704	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	24.0	604 of 696	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	26.2	600 of 698	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	16.8	641 of 698	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	18.5	636 of 689	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	16.2	636 of 688	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	7.5	612 of 623	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	9.7	427 of 429	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	17.2	401 of 427	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	28.2	320 of 426	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	23.0	360 of 426	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	33.9	298 of 426	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	5.8	423 of 423	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	6.6	336 of 336	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	28.0	118 of 143	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	39.4	89 of 142	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	29.4	110 of 131	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.7	112 of 123	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	24.5	97 of 110	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	22.1	94 of 100	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	22.7	69 of 74	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	37.4	45 of 65	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2017	18.7	25 of 25	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	14.8	572 of 652	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	15.8	565 of 649	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	10.0	622 of 650	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	12.3	586 of 645	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	10.8	611 of 656	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	15.3	576 of 656	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.2	572 of 646	11.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	11.1	589 of 640	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	8.3	618 of 639	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	32.6	67 of 90	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	25.8	165 of 206	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.2	183 of 196	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	14.3	178 of 184	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	17.2	158 of 175	9.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	18.9	151 of 164	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	14.6	142 of 152	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	28.4	111 of 140	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	20.4	116 of 130	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	16.0	601 of 668	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	21.0	552 of 660	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	14.1	612 of 670	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	12.3	587 of 623	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	11.6	625 of 651	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	22.7	521 of 653	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	16.2	590 of 649	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	9.1	629 of 651	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	8.3	548 of 567	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	12.9	595 of 660	9.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	15.2	564 of 651	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.5	577 of 655	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	9.6	609 of 649	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	15.0	573 of 669	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.5	561 of 669	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.6	571 of 650	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	10.4	608 of 650	6.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	9.7	605 of 639	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	21.9	352 of 403	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	22.8	348 of 403	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	15.3	376 of 395	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	25.0	270 of 344	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	6.0	519 of 532	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	5.0	525 of 535	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	3.0	524 of 528	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	4.9	531 of 540	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	6.1	531 of 539	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	4.5	524 of 529	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Hispanic (2026)26th percentile+15 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)17th percentile+7 vs school

Special Education (2026)13th percentile~ school

Female (2026)12th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)10th percentile~ school

Male (2026)10th percentile~ school

White (2025)2nd percentile-11 vs school

African American (2026)<1st percentile-10 vs school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

English39%-26 vs state

Mathematics21%-21 vs state

Science13%-37 vs state

★

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Schools Near West Decatur Elementary 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 (2019)
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 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment English 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
West Decatur Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	708 Memorial Dr Sw	Decatur	35601	Morgan County	Decatur City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 552-3027	407	25	16.6	81.1%	41 (10.1%)	76 (18.7%)	276 (67.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	12 (2.9%)	13.1	613^th of 686 public elementary schools	10.6%		14.9	588^th of 680 public elementary schools	13.5%	25	24.6	16.7	22.5	13.1	40.6	30.0	46.0	$10,695	$1,257	$9,437
BanksCaddell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	211 Gordon Dr SE	Decatur	35601	Morgan County	Decatur City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 552-3040	477	29	16.7	76.5%	59 (12.4%)	130 (27.3%)	262 (54.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.2%)	27.5	504^th of 686 public elementary schools	26.5%		17.4	565^th of 680 public elementary schools	16.9%	61	28.6	40.9	18.5	36.6	50.7	51.4	37.7	$11,826	$2,971	$8,854
Benjamin Davis Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-2	417 Monroe Dr NW	Decatur	35601	Morgan County	Decatur City	No	Yes	No	No	(256) 552-3025	251	19	13.4	55.4%	96 (38.2%)	85 (33.9%)	52 (20.7%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (6.0%)								(n/a)
Woodmeade Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1400 19th Ave SW	Decatur	35601	Morgan County	Decatur City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 552-3023	361	24	15.0	67.6%	55 (15.2%)	93 (25.8%)	179 (49.6%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	4 (1.1%)	26 (7.2%)	40.1	432^nd of 686 public elementary schools	37.0%		30.8	471^st of 680 public elementary schools	30.7%	39	47.4	20.0	33.3	37.5	66.7	55.0	57.5	$9,103	$1,156	$7,947
Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School	Public, Magnet	3-5	801 Wilson St NW	Decatur	35601	Morgan County	Decatur City	No	Yes	No	No	(256) 552-3056	297	17	17.1	45.8%	144 (48.5%)	85 (28.6%)	49 (16.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.1%)	92.2	37^th of 686 public elementary schools	94.6%		92	40^th of 680 public elementary schools	94.1%	3	74.2	70.7	64.0	73.7	93.6	86.9	89.9
Oak Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1218 16th Ave SE	Decatur	35601	Morgan County	Decatur City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 552-3033	481	36	13.5	70.9%	76 (15.8%)	133 (27.7%)	236 (49.1%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.8%)	29 (6.0%)	23.2	531^st of 686 public elementary schools	22.6%		8.7	648^th of 680 public elementary schools	4.7%	117	28.1	45.6	32.7	20.0	27.0	38.6	41.7	$14,212	$2,829	$11,384
Austinville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2320 Clara Ave SW	Decatur	35601	Morgan County	Decatur City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 552-3050	463	28	16.3	67.6%	51 (11.0%)	119 (25.7%)	265 (57.2%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.8%)	41.2	424^th of 686 public elementary schools	38.2%		38.7	436^th of 680 public elementary schools	35.9%	12	47.6	36.7	43.1	40.0	41.3	53.3	60.3	$9,969	$885	$9,084
Walter Jackson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1950 Park St SE	Decatur	35601	Morgan County	Decatur City	No	No	No	No	(256) 552-3031	251	17	14.9	59.8%	113 (45.0%)	56 (22.3%)	51 (20.3%)	4 (1.6%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (10.4%)	63.5	247^th of 686 public elementary schools	64.0%		62.8	248^th of 680 public elementary schools	63.5%	1	26.2	62.1	50.0	65.5	69.1	75.9	61.8
Julian Harris Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1922 McAuliffe Dr SW	Decatur	35603	Morgan County	Decatur City	No	No	No	No	(256) 552-3096	349	23	15.5	51.9%	134 (38.4%)	132 (37.8%)	33 (9.5%)	13 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	36 (10.3%)	62.6	256^th of 686 public elementary schools	62.7%		64.9	232^nd of 680 public elementary schools	65.9%	24	48.0	52.9	40.0	67.7	66.0	66.2	63.6
Eastwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1802 26th Ave SE	Decatur	35601	Morgan County	Decatur City	No	No	No	No	(256) 552-3043	272	18	15.2	37.1%	179 (65.8%)	46 (16.9%)	22 (8.1%)	1 (0.4%)	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (7.4%)	71.3	184^th of 686 public elementary schools	73.2%		73.1	167^th of 680 public elementary schools	75.4%	17	50.0	50.0	58.3	52.5	70.0	67.5	88.9	$15,088	$3,262	$11,825

Frequently Asked Questions about West Decatur Elementary School

What schools do graduates of West Decatur Elementary School attend?

Students who attend West Decatur Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Austin Middle School
High : Austin High School

Is West Decatur Elementary School a good school?

West Decatur Elementary School ranks in the bottom 10.6% of Alabama elementary schools.

What district is West Decatur Elementary School in?

Decatur City

What is the racial makeup of West Decatur Elementary School?

Students at West Decatur Elementary School are 68% Hispanic, 19% African American, 10% White, 3% Two or more races.

How many students attend West Decatur Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 407 students attended West Decatur Elementary School.

Rate West Decatur Elementary School!

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Latest Alabama data All new data »

2025–26 Summative Assessment scoresAug 14, 2026

2024–25 attendance data & graduation ratesDec 27, 2025

2024–25 Summative Assessment scoresAug 14, 2025

2021–22 through 2023–24 attendance data & graduation ratesDec 2, 2024

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.