Summary:
Zip code 35503 in Jasper, Alabama, is home to just one middle school, Curry Middle School, which serves grades 5 through 8 and enrolls 353 students within the Walker County school district.
As the only middle school in this area, Curry Middle School’s performance is best understood against district and state benchmarks. The school has shown clear strengths in 8th grade science, where 60% of students are proficient—well above both the district (52.8%) and state (54.1%) averages. Fifth grade English is another bright spot at 72.1% proficiency, slightly exceeding the state rate. The most dramatic improvement came in 5th grade math, which jumped from 13.2% to 36.8% proficiency in a single year—a nearly 24-point gain that suggests a successful instructional shift or an exceptionally strong incoming cohort. However, 7th grade math is a serious concern, with only 12.2% of students proficient, less than half the state average of 24.5%. This same group of students scored 36.8% in 6th grade math the prior year, meaning proficiency collapsed by roughly two-thirds as they advanced a grade level.
Overall, Curry Middle School outperforms its district in 7 of 9 subject-grade combinations, positioning it as one of the stronger schools in Walker County despite the district’s modest 2-star rating. The school’s state ranking has improved from the 40th percentile (2 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 54th percentile (3 stars) in 2025-2026, indicating positive momentum. English proficiency remains stable and competitive across all grades, staying within a few points of state averages. The most pressing red flag is chronic absenteeism at 17.7%, notably higher than the state’s 12.0% rate, which likely contributes to academic struggles, particularly in 7th grade math. With 55% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, the school faces socioeconomic challenges, but its recent gains in science and 5th grade math demonstrate that targeted interventions can yield meaningful results.
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