Summary:
Zip code 35226 in Hoover, AL is served by a single middle school, Ira F Simmons Middle School, which enrolls 860 students in grades 6-8 within the highly-rated Hoover City school district.
Ira F Simmons Middle School is a consistently high-performing school, maintaining a 5-star rating and ranking in the 91st percentile statewide for three consecutive years. Its best year was 2023-2024 when it ranked 31st out of 442 schools. Academically, the school significantly outperforms state averages by 17 to 27 percentage points across all subjects and grade levels. For instance, 8th grade math proficiency is 53.57% versus the state's 26.36%, and 8th grade English proficiency reaches 80.36% compared to the state's 58.53%. The school also boasts a favorable 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio and a low chronic absenteeism rate of 6.7%, which is nearly half the state average of 12.0%, even though 44.3% of students receive free or reduced lunch.
While the school is strong overall, there are a few notable patterns. A "7th grade slump" appears in both math and English, with 7th grade math proficiency (47.44%) dipping below both 6th (57.19%) and 8th (53.57%) grades, and English dropping from 74.64% in 6th grade to 72.85% in 7th before rebounding to 80.36% in 8th. Science is a relative weakness compared to the district, with an 8.38-point gap between the school's 71.79% proficiency and the district's 80.17%. However, the school showed dramatic year-over-year improvement in 6th grade math, jumping from 49.48% to 57.19%. With per-student spending of $12,051 and stable, reliable performance, this school represents an excellent educational option for families in the area.
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