J E Hobbs Elementary School

J E Hobbs Elementary School in Camden, AL, is a PK-6 school serving 359 students in the Wilcox County district, where about 80% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. After spending nearly a decade in the bottom 5-8% of Alabama elementary schools, the school has made a dramatic turnaround, jumping from a rank of 617th to 534th out of 686 schools in a single year—its best performance in over a decade.

The most striking highlight is the school's 4th grade math performance, which soared to 71% proficiency in 2025-2026, compared to just 2.9% the previous year. This is more than 25 points above the district average and nearly 30 points above the state average. The 3rd grade English scores are also a consistent strength, reaching 63% proficiency, which nearly matches the state average. However, other grade levels (5th and 6th grade math) remain below 14% proficiency, showing that the improvement is not yet consistent across all grades. Chronic absenteeism is a concern at 21.9%, nearly double the state average, though it has improved from 26.8% the prior year.

Compared to nearby schools, J E Hobbs now ranks higher than F S Ervin Elementary School (534th vs. 598th) and ABC Elementary (534th vs. 605th), despite spending the least per student ($10,665) among its peers. Monroe Intermediate School in the Monroe County district has a much lower absenteeism rate (6.7%) and a smaller student-teacher ratio (7.8 vs. 17.9), but J E Hobbs serves a much larger student body. The school's upward trajectory, particularly for its low-income students, suggests targeted interventions are beginning to take hold, though sustaining this momentum across all grade levels will be key.