The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in English language arts. The lowest is 28% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Nathaniel H Stephens Elementary School
Nathaniel H Stephens Elementary School serves only third and fourth grade, so it is a transitional building in the Alexander City school system. Students come here for two years before moving on to Alexander City Middle School. This narrow grade span means the school focuses entirely on the upper elementary years, and it also means a number of measures commonly used to judge a school simply do not apply here. There is no graduation rate because the school does not serve high school students. There are no data on chronic absenteeism or staffing ratios. A parent should understand these as gaps created by the school’s grade configuration, not as missing information that signals a problem.
The school is a regular public school in Alexander City, the largest town in Tallapoosa County. Alexander City sits about an hour from Birmingham and roughly forty minutes from Auburn, and its economy was long defined by the textile industry, most notably the Russell Corporation, which employed thousands at its peak. That manufacturing base has receded, and the local economy has broadened, though no single new employer has replaced Russell’s scale. Lake Martin draws lakefront home development and recreation, and the town’s historic downtown square remains the civic center. Housing values in the zip code that serves the school are above the national price-to-income benchmark, and home prices have been roughly flat recently. The area is auto-dependent, with no scheduled public transit beyond a demand-response service.
The student body is diverse. White students and Black students each make up a substantial share of enrollment, with a smaller but noticeable Hispanic population and a modest share of students who identify as two or more races. More than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which means the school serves a population with significant economic need. English learner and special education counts were not available in the data.
Academically, the picture is mixed. On the state assessment, third graders showed a moderate proficiency rate in English language arts, and a stronger share met the bar there than in math, where the proficiency rate was lower. Fourth graders scored lower than third graders in both ELA and math. In science, which is tested only in fourth grade, proficiency was roughly comparable to the math result. When compared across districts in Tallapoosa County, the school’s overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quarter. That is a soft spot. There is only a single year of test results available, so it is not possible to see whether performance is improving or declining. A family looking at this school may want to ask the school directly about academic support for students who are below grade level, especially in math, and about how the school prepares students for the transition to middle school.
The school offers no data on advanced coursework, enrichment programs, or specialized academies. That is consistent with a school that serves only third and fourth grade, but a parent who wants a full picture of what happens beyond the core classroom should inquire with the school or the district about electives, interventions, and any extended-day or extracurricular options. No information was available about teacher experience, class sizes, or discipline rates.
Nathaniel H Stephens Elementary is a straightforward neighborhood school for the upper elementary years in a small city that has seen economic change. The student body is mixed economically and racially, and academic results are below the county average, particularly in math. The school’s limited grade span means a child will be here for only two years, so continuity of instruction and the quality of the handoff to middle school are worth paying attention to.
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