Lott Middle School

Lott Middle School in Citronelle, AL, serves 427 students in grades 6 through 8 and is part of the Mobile County school district, a rural school with a high level of economic need among its families.

Lott Middle School shows a remarkable ability to support some of its most vulnerable students. In fact, the school ranks in the 80th percentile statewide for the academic performance of its homeless students, a 4-star rating that far exceeds its overall 2-star performance. The school has also made impressive strides in reducing chronic absenteeism, dropping from nearly 40% two years ago to about 17% today. English Language Arts is a relative bright spot, with 6th and 7th-grade proficiency rates at or above the district average. However, there are serious concerns. Math proficiency is consistently below district and state averages, and 7th-grade math is particularly alarming—only 7.69% of students were proficient in 2025-2026, a sharp decline from 27% just a few years prior. The school also shows inconsistent results for certain student groups, with performance fluctuating significantly from year to year.

Compared to nearby schools, the gaps are striking. Saraland Middle SchoolAdams Campus, just 18 miles away, is a top-performing school with proficiency rates in the 80-90% range, while Semmes Middle School outperforms Lott in most subjects, particularly in 8th-grade science and English. Interestingly, Lott spends more per student ($9,173) than either of those schools, yet has larger class sizes (23.7 students per teacher) and lower outcomes. This suggests that simply spending more money isn't the answer—a closer look at how resources are used and how instruction is delivered will be key to reversing the downward trends and building on the school's clear strengths with its most at-risk students.