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Fort Payne Middle School

Q: Is Fort Payne Middle School a good school?

Fort Payne Middle School ranks 142 nd of 449 Alabama middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

142^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 449 Alabama Middle Schools

Better than 68% of Alabama middle schools

Summary

Fort Payne Middle School serves 741 students in grades 6 through 8 and is the only middle school in the Fort Payne City district, located in the scenic mountain foothills of northeastern Alabama. The school has a strong overall record, ranking in the 68th percentile statewide in the most recent school year, and serves a student body where about 63% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

One of the school's standout strengths is its work with Special Education students, where it has consistently ranked in the 85th to 94th percentile statewide over the past three years—a remarkable achievement that earned a 5-star rating. The school also shows exceptional results for its African American students, who ranked in the 94th percentile in a recent school year. Academically, English Language Arts is a clear area of excellence, with proficiency rates in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades (58%, 60%, and 66%) all exceeding state averages. Eighth-grade math has also shown dramatic improvement, jumping from 16% proficiency to nearly 34% in just two years, well above the state average of 26%. However, math performance in 6th and 7th grades remains closer to or below state averages, suggesting this is an area where the school is still working to build consistency.

Attendance is another positive story. Chronic absenteeism has dropped from 17.2% in 2021-2022 to 10.9% in the most recent year—now better than the state average of 12%. The school also shows improving outcomes for Hispanic students, moving from the 55th to the 76th percentile in recent years. One area that may deserve attention is a gender gap: female students currently rank in the 60th percentile while male students rank in the 73rd percentile. Since there are no other middle schools within 20 miles, Fort Payne Middle School is the primary option for families in the area, and its performance directly reflects the district's middle school approach.

741

Students ?

15.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$7,069

Per pupil spending ?

63.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4910 Martin Ave NE
Fort Payne, AL 35967

(256) 845-7501

District: Fort Payne City

Students who attend Fort Payne Middle School usually attend:

High:

Fort Payne High School

Feeder schools for Fort Payne Middle School:

Elementary:	Little Ridge Intermediate School
	Wills Valley Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

47.8%

Hispanic:

44.0%

Two or more races:

3.6%

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Compare Fort Payne Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 66th percentile in 2016 → 68th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Alabama median (68th percentile)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school47%

District avg47%

Alabama avg44%

142^nd of 449

Alabama public middle schools ?

Top 32%▲ up 3 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Alabama Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

64^th of 140Fort Payne 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	62.7	142 of 449	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	70.0	101 of 439	77.0%	★★★★☆
2024	59.1	153 of 442	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	66.5	121 of 437	72.3%	★★★★☆
2022	71.0	93 of 432	78.5%	★★★★☆
2021	63.9	124 of 440	71.8%	★★★★☆
2019	56.7	181 of 437	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.7	148 of 423	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2017	67.7	105 of 432	75.7%	★★★★☆
2016	60.8	148 of 432	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2015	62.2	132 of 430	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2014	47.4	233 of 438	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2013	58.7	189 of 436	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2012	64.3	146 of 436	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2011	66.4	148 of 435	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2010	63.2	153 of 435	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2009	66.7	119 of 425	72.0%	★★★★☆
2008	68.1	107 of 417	74.3%	★★★★☆
2007	63.3	143 of 412	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2006	72.0	81 of 409	80.2%	★★★★☆
2005	66.7	98 of 415	76.4%	★★★★☆
2004	65.5	122 of 407	70.0%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2024	90.0	16 of 269	94.1%	★★★★★

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	53.7	32 of 103	68.9%	★★★★☆
2025	47.7	47 of 117	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	40.0	54 of 106	49.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	40.8	43 of 94	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	43.4	37 of 81	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	48.9	19 of 70	72.9%	★★★★☆
2019	40.2	16 of 31	48.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	29.2	18 of 25	28.0%	★★☆☆☆
2017	32.8	8 of 13	38.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	56.5	170 of 427	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	62.5	132 of 415	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.2	167 of 426	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	67.1	105 of 417	74.8%	★★★★☆
2022	67.8	102 of 423	75.9%	★★★★☆
2021	60.6	138 of 415	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.7	134 of 399	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.0	138 of 392	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	67.3	95 of 380	75.0%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	64.7	20 of 82	75.6%	★★★★☆
2025	57.6	61 of 173	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	44.3	74 of 164	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.8	67 of 166	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.4	68 of 157	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	46.7	73 of 154	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	35.9	79 of 124	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.6	63 of 113	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	52.2	42 of 108	61.1%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	64.1	120 of 438	72.6%	★★★★☆
2025	68.0	101 of 428	76.4%	★★★★☆
2024	56.9	165 of 437	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	61.5	123 of 410	70.0%	★★★★☆
2022	71.8	68 of 421	83.8%	★★★★☆
2021	65.2	113 of 415	72.8%	★★★★☆
2019	51.5	191 of 396	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	59.5	148 of 396	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	61.3	98 of 349	71.9%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	65.8	113 of 426	73.5%	★★★★☆
2025	72.9	82 of 422	80.6%	★★★★☆
2024	58.8	146 of 428	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	63.3	117 of 419	72.1%	★★★★☆
2022	69.0	97 of 427	77.3%	★★★★☆
2021	63.7	112 of 418	73.2%	★★★★☆
2019	53.8	180 of 399	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.5	141 of 397	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	64.7	108 of 380	71.6%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	64.6	21 of 92	77.2%	★★★★☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	58.2	21 of 66	68.2%	★★★★☆
2024	42.5	39 of 69	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	55.4	23 of 61	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.4	28 of 65	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	45.7	27 of 56	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	34.4	29 of 44	34.1%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	71.3	39 of 269	85.5%	★★★★☆
2025	73.0	38 of 271	86.0%	★★★★☆
2024	85.1	20 of 281	92.9%	★★★★★
2023	69.8	45 of 281	84.0%	★★★★☆
2022	56.6	76 of 256	70.3%	★★★★☆
2021	66.2	41 of 274	85.0%	★★★★☆
2019	65.2	53 of 254	79.1%	★★★★☆
2018	54.8	78 of 223	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2017	58.7	46 of 195	76.4%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	61.4	107 of 359	70.2%	★★★★☆
2025	70.6	80 of 377	78.8%	★★★★☆
2024	59.8	117 of 373	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	66.7	90 of 370	75.7%	★★★★☆
2022	79.4	50 of 376	86.7%	★★★★☆
2021	68.5	79 of 369	78.6%	★★★★☆
2019	60.0	106 of 343	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	64.7	79 of 331	76.1%	★★★★☆
2017	61.5	72 of 247	70.9%	★★★★☆

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)

African American (2024)94th percentile+29 vs school

Special Education (2026)86th percentile+17 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)77th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)76th percentile+7 vs school

Male (2026)73rd percentile+5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)73rd percentile+4 vs school

White (2026)70th percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2026)69th percentile~ school

Native American (2025)68th percentile-9 vs school

Female (2026)60th percentile-8 vs school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

English61%+5 vs state

Science61%+7 vs state

Mathematics28%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Fort Payne 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 (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 6th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 8th 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
Fort Payne Middle School	Public	6-8	4910 Martin Ave NE	Fort Payne	35967	DeKalb County	Fort Payne City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 845-7501	741	47	15.7	63.3%	354 (47.8%)	18 (2.4%)	326 (44.0%)	7 (0.9%)	9 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.6%)	62.7	142^nd of 449 public middle schools	68.4%		70	101^st of 439 public middle schools	77.0%	41	27.4	24.0	33.9	61.1	58.4	59.8	66.1	$7,069	$1,258	$5,788

Frequently Asked Questions about Fort Payne Middle School

Is Fort Payne Middle School a good school?

Fort Payne Middle School ranks 142^nd of 449 Alabama middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Fort Payne Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 741 students attended Fort Payne Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Fort Payne Middle School attend?

Students who attend Fort Payne Middle School usually go on to attend Fort Payne High School

What district is Fort Payne Middle School in?

Fort Payne City

What is the racial makeup of Fort Payne Middle School?

Students at Fort Payne Middle School are 48% White, 44% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American, 1% American Indian.

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Schools in Fort Payne, AL

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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.