Summary:
Middle Schools in zip code 36303 consist of a single specialized institution, Dothan 6th Grade Center, which exclusively serves 6th-grade students in the Dothan City school district, an area characterized by significant economic need.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Dothan 6th Grade Center faces substantial academic challenges, particularly in mathematics. On the latest state assessment, only 5.87% of students were proficient in math, a figure that is drastically below the district average of 20% and the state average of 35.22%. English performance is notably better, with 36.15% proficiency, though this still trails the district (48.15%) and state (56.77%) averages. The school also serves a predominantly low-income population, with 78.62% of students receiving free or reduced lunch, and has a chronic absenteeism rate of 18.2%, which is significantly higher than both the district (13.7%) and state (12.0%) averages. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.5:1, suggesting moderately large class sizes.
There is a mixed picture when looking at year-over-year trends. English proficiency improved substantially, jumping from 28.74% to 36.15%, which is a positive sign. However, math proficiency declined from 7.38% to 5.87%, indicating that efforts to boost literacy are not translating to mathematics. Historical data from before 2020 shows the school consistently ranked in the bottom 15-18% of Alabama middle schools, suggesting long-term struggles. The unique 6th-grade center model, while potentially designed to ease the transition into middle school, is not currently producing strong academic results, especially in math. Parents should be aware that this school requires targeted support in mathematics and addressing chronic absenteeism to improve outcomes for its students.
Thank you for your feedback!