Summary:
Zip code 35747 (Grant, Alabama) is home to just one middle school, Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle, which serves grades 5 through 8 with an enrollment of 376 students in the Marshall County district.
As the only middle school in this area, Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle is the sole option for families, and it stands out as a strong performer relative to its district. The school consistently earns 3 stars in state rankings, placing it in the 64th–68th percentile statewide, even though its district ranks in the bottom third of Alabama districts. The most impressive statistic is chronic absenteeism: only 1.9% of students are chronically absent, compared to 12% statewide—a remarkable indicator of student engagement and family support. Academically, the school shines in 8th grade English, where 74.71% of students are proficient, nearly 17 points above the state average and 24 points above the district. Science proficiency in 8th grade also exceeds the state average at 57.95% versus 54.12%. With a free/reduced lunch rate of 35.11%, the student population is relatively economically advantaged, which may contribute to these results.
However, there are notable concerns. The most significant is 7th grade math, where only 13.95% of students are proficient—a dramatic drop from the prior year's 27.06% and well below the state average of 24.46%. This suggests the transition to 7th grade math is a critical challenge. The school also shows extreme year-to-year volatility: 7th grade English fell 24 points (from 76.47% to 52.33%), while 8th grade science jumped 24 points (from 34.04% to 57.95%). These swings make single-year data unreliable for judging the school. Overall, Kate Duncan Smith DAR Middle is a bright spot within a struggling district, with excellent attendance and strong upper-grade literacy, but parents should be aware of the 7th grade math weakness and the school's inconsistent performance across cohorts.
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