Summary:
Zip code 36109 in Montgomery, AL, is served by a single middle school, Goodwyn Middle School, which enrolls 717 students across grades 6 through 8 and operates within the Montgomery County school district.
Goodwyn Middle School faces significant academic challenges, consistently ranking in the bottom 3% of Alabama middle schools. The most alarming statistic is the 0% proficiency rate in 8th-grade mathematics for the 2025-2026 school year, meaning no student met the state benchmark. Math proficiency is critically low across all grades, with 6th grade at 6.45% and 7th grade at just 1.40%, compared to state averages of 35.22% and 24.46% respectively. English Language Arts performance is notably stronger, with proficiency ranging from 18.22% in 7th grade to 27.52% in 6th grade, though still well below state averages of roughly 55-58%. This stark gap between ELA and math suggests literacy instruction is relatively more effective than math instruction, pointing to a need for targeted math interventions.
Chronic absenteeism is a major concern, with a rate of 33.9%—nearly three times the state average of 12.0% and higher than the district's 25.2%. This means one in three students misses significant school time, which is likely a primary driver of low test scores. Additionally, 82.15% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating high economic need. The student-teacher ratio of 19.3:1 and per-student spending of $7,971 are within typical ranges, suggesting the issues stem more from absenteeism and instructional effectiveness than from resource shortages. Year-over-year data shows stagnation or decline, with the school's state ranking dropping from the 3rd to 2nd percentile, indicating that while other schools recover, Goodwyn continues to struggle and requires intensive, targeted support.
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