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Sparkman Middle School

Q: Is Sparkman Middle School a good school?

Sparkman Middle School ranks 296 th of 449 Alabama middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

296^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 449 Alabama Middle Schools

Better than 34% of Alabama middle schools

Summary

Sparkman Middle School in Toney, AL, serves 723 students in grades 6 through 8 and is part of the Madison County school district. The school has experienced a significant decline in its statewide ranking over the past four years, dropping from the 77th percentile in 2021-2022 to the 34th percentile in 2025-2026, and currently ranks 294th out of 443 Alabama middle schools.

The most pressing concern is mathematics proficiency, which is critically low across all grade levels and falls dramatically below district and state averages. In 8th grade, only 7.83% of students are proficient in math—less than one-third of the state average—and proficiency declines as students advance through the school (20% in 6th grade, 13.6% in 7th grade, and 7.8% in 8th grade). English Language Arts scores are comparatively stronger, with 7th and 8th grade proficiency rates near state averages, and 8th grade science performance has been a relative bright spot. The school also serves a higher-poverty population, with 59.34% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and has a chronic absenteeism rate of 17.5%—higher than the district (14.3%) and state (12.0%) averages.

Compared to nearby schools, the challenges are stark. Monrovia Middle School, just 5 miles away, ranks in the 77th percentile with roughly double the math proficiency rates and a much lower poverty rate (31.78%). The Madison City schools, including Liberty Middle School and Discovery Middle School, rank in the top 7% of Alabama schools with 6th grade math proficiency rates exceeding 66%—more than three times Sparkman's rate. However, there are some positives to build on: English Language Learner students at Sparkman rank in the 66th percentile, and the school's student-teacher ratio has improved to 18:1. The broad-based decline across all student subgroups suggests systemic challenges that will require targeted interventions, particularly in math instruction and addressing chronic absenteeism.

723

Students ?

18.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,275

Per pupil spending ?

59.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2697 Carters Gin Rd
Toney, AL 35773

(256) 851-4610

District: Madison County

Students who attend Sparkman Middle School usually attend:

High:

Sparkman High School

Feeder schools for Sparkman Middle School:

Elementary:	Harvest School
	Madison Cross Roads Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

39.1%

White:

35.5%

Hispanic:

12.7%

See top rated Alabama middle schools

Compare Sparkman Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 69th percentile in 2016 → 34th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Alabama average (34% vs 44% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 35 percentile points since 2016

!Mathematics scores 15 pts below the Alabama average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school34%

District avg48%

Alabama avg44%

296^th of 449

Alabama public middle schools ?

Bottom 34%▼ down 35 pts since 2016

From top 31% (2016) to bottom 34% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alabama Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 4Middle Schools in the Madison County

34^th of 140Madison County 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	34.6	296 of 449	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	44.7	246 of 439	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.4	208 of 442	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	52.9	192 of 437	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	68.5	101 of 432	76.6%	★★★★☆
2021	63.6	127 of 440	71.1%	★★★★☆
2019	61.5	150 of 437	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	68.9	119 of 423	71.9%	★★★★☆
2017	66.6	115 of 432	73.4%	★★★★☆
2016	62.2	134 of 432	69.0%	★★★☆☆
2015	67.9	91 of 430	78.8%	★★★★☆
2014	71.5	85 of 438	80.6%	★★★★☆
2013	78.5	50 of 436	88.5%	★★★★☆
2012	75.2	80 of 436	81.7%	★★★★☆
2011	72.9	99 of 435	77.2%	★★★★☆
2010	72.6	102 of 435	76.6%	★★★★☆
2009	67.4	115 of 425	72.9%	★★★★☆
2008	66.4	116 of 417	72.2%	★★★★☆
2007	71.4	94 of 412	77.2%	★★★★☆
2006	73.5	72 of 409	82.4%	★★★★☆
2005	73.5	68 of 415	83.6%	★★★★☆
2004	59.5	152 of 407	62.7%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	37.2	155 of 269	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	53.7	87 of 259	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.2	69 of 269	74.3%	★★★★☆
2023	62.2	67 of 263	74.5%	★★★★☆
2022	80.0	34 of 271	87.5%	★★★★☆
2021	71.9	48 of 266	82.0%	★★★★☆
2019	63.7	55 of 252	78.2%	★★★★☆
2018	69.2	53 of 247	78.5%	★★★★☆
2017	64.4	42 of 205	79.5%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	52.2	35 of 103	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	41.8	57 of 117	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.7	23 of 106	78.3%	★★★★☆
2023	71.4	13 of 94	86.2%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	31.8	301 of 427	29.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	43.0	237 of 415	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	52.2	183 of 426	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.3	192 of 417	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	66.3	113 of 423	73.3%	★★★★☆
2021	64.2	111 of 415	73.3%	★★★★☆
2019	63.4	114 of 399	71.4%	★★★★☆
2018	66.9	108 of 392	72.4%	★★★★☆
2017	61.5	117 of 380	69.2%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	48.6	73 of 173	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	54.7	53 of 164	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.6	62 of 166	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	68.9	35 of 157	77.7%	★★★★☆
2021	56.0	56 of 154	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	70.1	30 of 124	75.8%	★★★★☆
2018	81.9	17 of 113	85.0%	★★★★☆
2017	67.5	27 of 108	75.0%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	28.4	325 of 438	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	38.3	270 of 428	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.4	218 of 437	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	47.9	197 of 410	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	69.3	77 of 421	81.7%	★★★★☆
2021	62.5	128 of 415	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	65.1	112 of 396	71.7%	★★★★☆
2018	72.3	82 of 396	79.3%	★★★★☆
2017	68.5	74 of 349	78.8%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	36.7	271 of 426	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	45.9	218 of 422	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.8	224 of 428	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	52.8	181 of 419	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	67.4	104 of 427	75.6%	★★★★☆
2021	60.0	134 of 418	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.5	156 of 399	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	68.9	103 of 397	74.1%	★★★★☆
2017	67.8	93 of 380	75.5%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	26.8	109 of 146	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	33.1	69 of 92	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	41.8	37 of 78	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.1	30 of 72	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	72.6	12 of 60	80.0%	★★★★☆
2021	44.3	34 of 61	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.6	21 of 46	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	34.2	25 of 30	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	48.2	12 of 21	42.9%	★★☆☆☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	81.6	10 of 66	84.8%	★★★★☆
2024	60.8	24 of 69	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	61.6	18 of 61	70.5%	★★★★☆
2022	83.5	7 of 65	89.2%	★★★★★
2019	72.4	9 of 44	79.5%	★★★★☆
2018	46.4	7 of 14	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2017	33.7	11 of 14	21.4%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	38.4	159 of 269	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	48.5	110 of 271	59.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	54.4	95 of 281	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	42.1	131 of 281	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	45.9	111 of 256	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	58.1	70 of 274	74.5%	★★★★☆
2019	81.3	15 of 254	94.1%	★★★★★
2018	57.0	70 of 223	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	41.1	109 of 195	44.1%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	35.7	245 of 359	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.6	215 of 377	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.1	185 of 373	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.2	156 of 370	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	63.6	108 of 376	71.3%	★★★★☆
2021	63.6	100 of 369	72.9%	★★★★☆
2019	59.6	110 of 343	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.9	73 of 331	77.9%	★★★★☆
2017	62.3	70 of 247	71.7%	★★★★☆

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)

Native American (2025)85th percentile+41 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)66th percentile+32 vs school

Hispanic (2025)58th percentile+14 vs school

African American (2026)42nd percentile+8 vs school

Special Education (2026)41st percentile+7 vs school

Male (2026)36th percentile~ school

White (2026)32nd percentile~ school

Female (2026)30th percentile-5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)26th percentile-8 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)25th percentile-9 vs school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

English49%-8 vs state

Science47%-7 vs state

Mathematics14%-15 vs state

4.3

6 ratings · 5 written reviews

5★5

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Sparkman Middle is a great school. The administration and teachers work hard with the students to help them excel in life. The school has had so many improvements thru out the building. It is a clean and safe school. You will love it at Sparkman Middle. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, August 28, 2017

I am so excited about the direction that SMS is heading towards! The new administration has high energy and motivation to make this already great school even better! Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, August 28, 2017

The teachers and administrators at Sparkman Middle School are excellent, they are committed to more than just our child's education, they also strive to insure their well-being. My daughter was excited about the students being able to pick their own elective classes, which range from Forensic Science to Drama. As a parent I love how much they encourage us to be a part of our child's educational journey, we will truly miss the family atmosphere when we move on to high school. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, August 28, 2017

Sparkman Middle School is a wonderful school with an Administration and Faculty that put the student's education first! They are constantly working on ways to offer the best learning tools for the children! The staff is caring and I know my child is in good hands during day! So glad we are part of the SMS family! Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, August 28, 2017

My daughter is loving the new electives classes brought by the new Principal. She is taking Forensic Science! We have heard good things about the Principal being a really innovative thinker. The staff all spoke highly of him and their experience with him so far. We love being a part of Sparkman Middle School! Close Quote

Schools Near Sparkman 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
Sparkman Middle School	Public	6-8	2697 Carters Gin Rd	Toney	35773	Madison County	Madison County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 851-4610	723	40	18.0	59.3%	257 (35.5%)	283 (39.1%)	92 (12.7%)	6 (0.8%)	27 (3.7%)	2 (0.3%)	56 (7.7%)	34.6	296^th of 449 public middle schools	34.1%		44.7	246^th of 439 public middle schools	44.0%	50	20.1	13.6	7.8	47.0	40.7	53.0	53.0	$8,275	$1,782	$6,454
Monrovia Middle School	Public	6-8	1216 Jeff Rd	Huntsville	35806	Madison County	Madison County	No	No	No	No	(256) 851-4580	988	47	21.0	31.8%	473 (47.9%)	302 (30.6%)	93 (9.4%)	20 (2.0%)	30 (3.0%)	6 (0.6%)	64 (6.5%)	70.7	102^nd of 449 public middle schools	77.3%		75.8	81^st of 439 public middle schools	81.5%	21	39.0	23.0	30.9	63.6	68.5	64.4	71.9	$8,013	$687	$7,287
Ronald McNair 78	Public	7-8	5000 Pulaski Pike	Huntsville	35810	Madison County	Huntsville City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 428-7660	390	20	19.5	77.4%	15 (3.8%)	260 (66.7%)	97 (24.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (3.8%)	11.8	412^th of 449 public middle schools	8.2%		13.3	395^th of 439 public middle schools	10.0%	17		3.1	4.0	21.2		30.4	35.5	$8,772	$1,662	$7,108
Meridianville Middle School	Public	6-8	12975 Highway 231431 N	Hazel Green	35750	Madison County	Madison County	No	No	No	No	(256) 851-4550	1,100	51	21.5	45.2%	521 (47.4%)	344 (31.3%)	103 (9.4%)	10 (0.9%)	47 (4.3%)	1 (0.1%)	74 (6.7%)	58.7	164^th of 449 public middle schools	63.5%		65.5	119^th of 439 public middle schools	72.9%	45	28.5	20.7	27.9	56.8	61.7	58.9	62.7	$8,857	$826	$7,993
Academy for Academics and Arts Middle School	Public	6-8	4800 Sparkman Drive NE	Huntsville	35810	Madison County	Huntsville City	No	No	No	No	(256) 428-7600	270	20	13.8	43.7%	69 (25.6%)	145 (53.7%)	21 (7.8%)	5 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	29 (10.7%)	57	175^th of 449 public middle schools	61.0%		63.5	131^st of 439 public middle schools	70.2%	44	26.9	16.5	22.2	44.9	64.8	71.1	67.7
Discovery Middle School	Public	6-8	1304 Hughes Rd	Madison	35758	Madison County	Madison City	No	No	No	No	(256) 837-3735	1,054	68	15.6	26.4%	619 (58.7%)	175 (16.6%)	96 (9.1%)	71 (6.7%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	89 (8.4%)	91.6	32^nd of 449 public middle schools	92.9%		90.5	35^th of 439 public middle schools	92.0%	3	60.2	53.1	58.8	67.6	76.5	78.6	81.5	$8,621	$642	$7,950
Academy For Science Foreign Language Middle School	Public	6-8	3221 Mastin Lake Road	Huntsville	35810	Madison County	Huntsville City	No	No	No	No	(256) 428-7000	194	13	14.9	47.9%	36 (18.6%)	109 (56.2%)	19 (9.8%)	4 (2.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (12.9%)	81.5	58^th of 449 public middle schools	87.1%		79.9	65^th of 439 public middle schools	85.2%	7	26.6	37.5	37.7	85.3	70.9	76.6	92.1
Liberty Middle School	Public	6-8	281 Dock Murphy Dr	Madison	35758	Madison County	Madison City	No	No	No	No	(256) 430-0001	1,103	69	15.9	22.6%	591 (53.6%)	208 (18.9%)	100 (9.1%)	122 (11.1%)	5 (0.5%)	3 (0.3%)	74 (6.7%)	92.7	26^th of 449 public middle schools	94.2%		91.2	31^st of 439 public middle schools	92.9%	5	66.8	49.6	46.6	71.9	81.3	81.3	82.3	$8,077	$669	$7,379
Morris Middle School	Public	6-8	4801 Bob Wallace Avenue	Huntsville	35805	Madison County	Huntsville City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 428-7340	397	25	15.8	74.1%	40 (10.1%)	134 (33.8%)	202 (50.9%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	15 (3.8%)	21.6	357^th of 449 public middle schools	20.5%		20.9	351^st of 439 public middle schools	20.0%	6	12.2	10.8	5.6	38.7	28.7	42.4	44.3
Chapman Middle School	Public	6-8	2006 Reuben Dr NE	Huntsville	35811	Madison County	Huntsville City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 428-7640	315	21	15.0	77.5%	33 (10.5%)	207 (65.7%)	56 (17.8%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	16 (5.1%)	14.5	394^th of 449 public middle schools	12.2%		11.8	404^th of 439 public middle schools	8.0%	10	5.4	8.9	4.2	33.3	25.8	31.3	38.5

Frequently Asked Questions about Sparkman Middle School

Is Sparkman Middle School a good school?

Sparkman Middle School ranks 296^th of 449 Alabama middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Sparkman Middle School?

Students at Sparkman Middle School are 39% African American, 36% White, 13% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 4% American Indian.

How many students attend Sparkman Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 723 students attended Sparkman Middle School.

What district is Sparkman Middle School in?

Madison County

What high school do graduates of Sparkman Middle School attend?

Students who attend Sparkman Middle School usually go on to attend Sparkman High School

Rate Sparkman Middle 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.