Summary:
Middle Schools in zip code 35077 consist of a single school, Hanceville Middle School, which serves grades 6 through 8 and is part of the Cullman County district, with a total enrollment of 284 students.
For parents considering this area, Hanceville Middle School presents a mixed picture. The school has seen a notable decline in its state ranking over the past three years, dropping from the 63rd percentile in 2023-2024 to the 44th percentile in 2025-2026. The most significant concern is mathematics, where proficiency rates are well below both district and state averages across all grade levels. In 8th grade, only 11.96% of students are proficient in math, compared to 26.36% statewide. This represents a steep "8th grade cliff," as proficiency drops dramatically from 23.36% in 6th grade to just 11.96% in 8th grade, suggesting students fall further behind as they advance. English scores are closer to state averages, with 7th grade slightly exceeding the state average at 55.81%, but 8th grade lags nearly 10 points behind. On a positive note, 8th grade science shows strong improvement, jumping from 35.71% to 52.17% proficiency in one year, nearly matching the state average of 54.12%.
The school serves a student population with significant economic need, as 61.62% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. However, chronic absenteeism is actually better than state averages at 9.7%, indicating attendance is not the primary driver of academic struggles. Per-student spending data is dated from 2018-2019 at $7,144, making it difficult to assess current funding levels. Given the high poverty rate and the clear weakness in mathematics, parents should inquire about math intervention programs and current resource allocation. The student-teacher ratio of 16.7 is reasonable, and the school's improvement in science suggests that targeted instructional changes can yield positive results.
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