Summary:
Zip code 35674 in Tuscumbia, Alabama, is served by a single middle school, Deshler Middle School, which enrolls 336 students in grades 6 through 8 and is part of the Tuscumbia City school district.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Deshler Middle School is a solid, mid-tier performer with clear strengths and a few areas needing attention. The school holds a consistent 3-star rating and ranks around 167th out of roughly 440 Alabama middle schools. Its biggest academic strength is 8th-grade science, where 65% of students are proficient—well above the state average of 54%. Eighth-grade English is also a highlight at 70% proficiency, and 8th-grade math showed a remarkable 15-point jump in one year, now sitting above the state average. However, the school struggles with 7th-grade math, where only 17% of students are proficient, a significant drop from both 6th and 8th grades. English scores in 6th and 7th grades also trail the state average by about 5 points, suggesting literacy skills may need more support in the earlier middle school years.
Beyond test scores, parents should note that 51% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating a majority-low-income student body. Chronic absenteeism is a concern at 17%, notably higher than the state's 12% average, which could be holding back achievement in the lower grades. The student-teacher ratio is a reasonable 15.7 to 1, and per-student spending is $8,663. Since Deshler is the only middle school in the district, its performance directly defines the district's 3-star rating. Overall, this is a school with strong upper-grade academics, particularly in science and English, but with a clear need to address the 7th-grade math slump and chronic absenteeism to unlock its full potential.
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