Summary:
In zip code 36274, there is just one middle school option: Handley Middle School, serving grades 4 through 8 in the Roanoke, Alabama area as part of the Roanoke City district.
Handley Middle School stands out most for its exceptional attendance record. With a chronic absenteeism rate of just 5.7%, it is less than half the state average of 12.0% and well below the district's 9.7%—a remarkable achievement given that nearly 70% of its 483 students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school also shows notable strengths in specific areas: 7th grade math proficiency (30.77%) and 7th grade English (62.64%) both exceed state averages, and 8th grade science (51.06%) comes within three points of the state average. However, performance is inconsistent across grade levels. While 5th grade math improved dramatically from 20.62% to 41.05% between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, 4th grade math (22.11%) and 8th grade math (14.89%) lag significantly behind state averages. English proficiency is generally closer to state norms, though 8th grade English (43.62%) trails the state by 15 points.
The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated between the 45th and 52nd percentile over the past three years, earning 2 or 3 stars. With a student-to-teacher ratio of 17.5:1 and per-student spending of $8,210, Handley Middle School demonstrates that strong attendance and targeted instructional gains are possible despite economic challenges. The dramatic improvements in 5th and 7th grade math suggest effective interventions exist within the building. The primary challenge is replicating these successes in 4th and 8th grades, where proficiency rates remain well below state averages. Since this is the only school in the district serving these grades, all test scores mirror district-level data exactly.
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