Summary:
Zip code 36081 is home to a single middle school, Charles Henderson Middle, which serves grades 7-8 with 263 students in the Troy City district.
For parents considering this area, Charles Henderson Middle is a school that shows clear strengths in English and Science, while math remains a notable challenge. In the most recent school year, 60% of 7th graders and 60.16% of 8th graders scored proficient in English, both above state averages. Science performance is particularly impressive, with 57.36% of 8th graders proficient—a dramatic 12.4-point jump from the prior year and above the state's 54.12% average. However, math proficiency sits at just 28.46% for 7th grade and 27.91% for 8th grade, only slightly above state averages. This creates a striking 30-point gap between literacy and numeracy, suggesting the school excels at reading instruction but needs targeted math interventions. The school's overall ranking has been steadily improving, climbing from 152nd to 133rd out of roughly 440 schools over three years, placing it in the 70th percentile statewide.
One of the most notable aspects of this school is its performance despite socioeconomic challenges. Nearly 70% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, yet the school still outperforms state averages in most subjects—a positive sign for parents concerned about poverty's impact on education. The school maintains a student-teacher ratio of 17.5:1 and spends about $10,270 per student, though this data is from 2018-2019. Chronic absenteeism is a concern at 16.9%, better than the district's 19.0% but worse than the state's 12.0%. With only about 130 students per grade, individual student performance can cause year-to-year fluctuations, so parents should view single-year changes with some caution. Overall, this is a small school with strong literacy outcomes, improving science scores, and a clear opportunity for growth in mathematics.
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