Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 35150

Zip code 35150, serving the Sylacauga, Alabama area, is home to just one middle school, Nichols-Lawson Middle School, which educates students in grades 6 through 8 with a total enrollment of 446 students.

As the sole middle school in this area, Nichols-Lawson Middle School provides the complete educational picture for families here. The school serves a predominantly low-income population, with 60% of students receiving free or reduced lunch, yet it maintains a strong attendance record with a chronic absenteeism rate of just 11.2%—significantly better than the Sylacauga City district average of 17.7% and slightly better than the state average. Academically, the school shows a mixed but evolving profile. The most impressive recent development is an extraordinary 16-point jump in 8th-grade science proficiency, rising from 41.88% to 57.93%, which now places the school above the state average in that subject. English language arts performance is also a notable strength in the upper grades, with 8th graders achieving 68.49% proficiency—nearly 10 points above the state average. However, mathematics remains a persistent challenge, with proficiency rates that trail state averages at every grade level, and the gap widens as students progress: 6th graders are 3.5 points behind, 7th graders 7.1 points behind, and 8th graders 8.6 points behind state averages.

Year-over-year results reveal significant volatility that appears tied to specific student cohorts rather than systemic issues. While 6th grade improved dramatically in both math (+7.78 points) and English (+11.94 points), 7th grade declined sharply in both subjects, and 8th grade showed strong English gains alongside a slight math dip. The school has maintained a consistent 3-star rating from the state for three consecutive years, ranking in the 55th percentile of Alabama middle schools. With a student-teacher ratio of 15.3:1 and per-student spending of $9,574, the school has reasonable resources, but the widening math gap suggests that targeted math intervention could be a valuable focus for improvement. Overall, Nichols-Lawson Middle School offers a stable, average educational experience with clear strengths in science and upper-grade English, while math achievement represents the primary area needing attention.