Summary:
Zip code 35474 is home to just one middle school, Hale County Middle School in Moundville, AL, which serves grades 6 through 8 with an enrollment of 243 students in the Hale County district.
For parents considering this school, the most important takeaway is that Hale County Middle School shows remarkable strengths in some areas but struggles with consistency. The standout achievement is in 6th-grade math, where proficiency reached 55.13% in the 2025-2026 school year—a dramatic 30-point improvement from the prior year and well above both the district (32.88%) and state (35.22%) averages. English is also a relative strength, with 6th and 8th-grade reading scores above state averages. However, 7th-grade math is a major concern, with only 18.06% proficiency, which is 6.4 points below the state average. This sharp drop-off between 6th and 7th grade math suggests a possible curriculum transition issue or cohort difference that parents should ask about. The school consistently outperforms its district average in most subjects, but often lags the state, indicating it is a strong local performer facing broader challenges.
The school's overall state ranking has improved significantly, jumping to 183rd out of 443 schools (59th percentile) in 2025-2026, up from the 51st percentile two years earlier. However, parents should note that 53.5% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and the chronic absenteeism rate of 14% is higher than both district and state averages. The student-teacher ratio of 18.6 to 1 is relatively high, which could affect individualized attention. While the school has clear pockets of excellence—particularly in 6th-grade math and English—the inconsistency in math across grade levels and the attendance challenges are important factors to consider when evaluating this school for your child.
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