Summary:
Zip code 36551 is home to just one middle school, Central Baldwin Middle School, which serves grades 7 and 8 with a substantial enrollment of 768 students in the Baldwin County school district.
Central Baldwin Middle School is a school on the rise, with its state ranking improving for three consecutive years, from 167th to 135th. Its clear academic strength is 8th-grade science, where 62.61% of students are proficient—well above the state average of 54.12% and a remarkable 15.73 percentage point jump from the previous year. However, mathematics is a significant challenge, with 7th-grade proficiency at just 24.77% and 8th-grade at 31.03%, both trailing the district average by roughly 9-10 percentage points. English performance is more solid, with proficiency rates of 56.63% in 7th grade and 59.65% in 8th grade. Notably, the school avoids the typical "middle school slide"—8th graders outperform 7th graders in both math and English, suggesting effective grade-to-grade progression.
One area of concern is chronic absenteeism, which sits at 16.0%, notably higher than the district (11.2%) and state (12.0%) averages. With 50.91% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, the school serves a significant economically disadvantaged population. The student-teacher ratio is 17.4, and per-student spending is $9,671. Despite the math struggles and attendance issues, the school's upward ranking trajectory and standout science program indicate positive momentum. For parents, this school offers a strong science foundation and consistent academic growth, but math support and attendance monitoring may be important considerations.
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