Summary:
Zip code 36024 is home to just one middle school, Eclectic Middle School, which serves grades 5 through 8 and is part of the Elmore County district, a highly-rated system ranked 41st out of 139 districts in Alabama.
For parents considering this school, the most important takeaway is that Eclectic Middle School is a school of striking contrasts. It excels in 8th-grade Science, with a 59.29% proficiency rate that beats the state average of 54.12%, and its 7th and 8th-grade English Language Arts scores are strong, outperforming the state by roughly 8-9 percentage points. However, Mathematics is a clear weakness, with proficiency rates in every grade falling below both district and state averages—for example, only 21.6% of 5th graders are proficient in math compared to 39.06% statewide. The school also saw a significant drop in its state ranking, falling from 103rd to 157th in the most recent year, driven largely by a sharp decline in math scores across all grades. With 46.79% of students on free or reduced lunch and a chronic absenteeism rate of 16.5%—well above the state's 12%—the school faces real challenges. The student-teacher ratio of 19.5 is also on the higher side, which may limit individualized attention.
Despite these hurdles, the school's success in Science and upper-grade reading shows that its teachers and students are capable of high achievement. The recent math decline appears systemic rather than grade-specific, suggesting a need for targeted intervention in that subject. For parents, this means Eclectic Middle School offers a solid foundation in literacy and science, but you may want to closely monitor math progress and consider supplemental support. Addressing the high absenteeism rate could also be a key lever for improvement, as consistent attendance is strongly linked to academic success. Overall, this is a school at a crossroads—with clear strengths to build on, but urgent work needed in math and attendance to reverse its recent decline.
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