The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in English language arts. The lowest is 16% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Golden Springs Elementary School
Golden Springs Elementary serves first through fifth grade students in Anniston, Alabama, as part of the Anniston City school district. It is a regular public school with a traditional grade configuration. The school sits in a mid-sized city that functions as the county seat of Calhoun County and a regional hub for government and commerce in northeast Alabama. The city was founded around the iron industry and retains a mix of industrial heritage and civic institutions, though its population has declined from a mid-20th-century peak.
The student body is smaller in total enrollment for its grade band, and the demographic profile is distinct. A substantial majority of students are Black, with a much smaller share of white students and a modest share of students identifying as two or more races. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of the economic context families come from. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the provided records.
State assessment results from the most recent testing year provide a clear picture of academic performance at the school. In English language arts, proficiency rates across third, fourth, and fifth grade all fell below half of students meeting the bar, with the fifth-grade rate being the strongest of the three. In mathematics, proficiency rates were much lower across all three tested grades, with fewer than one in five students reaching proficiency in any grade. Science results for fourth grade showed a similar pattern. When compared with other schools in Calhoun County, the school's overall proficiency index fell in the bottom quartile, meaning that on this combined measure of tested subjects and grades, the school ranks among the lowest of the county's districts. The school had only a single year of assessment data available in the record, so a multi-year trend could not be established.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. The record also did not include information about chronic absenteeism, staffing ratios, or course access.
The housing context in the school's zip code suggests a relatively affordable market. Home values are below the state benchmark and well below the national benchmark, consistent with the city's reputation as one of the most affordable places to live in the United States. Rent levels are also modest. The city's unemployment rate has been near the national average, and median household income has generally held above the national figure in recent years.
The city itself offers a mix of assets. Downtown Anniston centers on Noble Street, home to county and federal courthouses and county administrative offices. The Anniston Museums and Gardens, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is a local cultural anchor. The Chief Ladiga Trail, a rails-to-trails project, provides a non-motorized path through the city. The decommissioned Fort McClellan site now houses the Center for Domestic Preparedness, a federal training facility for emergency responders, and the Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge. The Anniston Army Depot remains a major employer. The city is largely auto-dependent beyond its downtown core.
For a parent considering Golden Springs Elementary, the most salient facts are the school's academic performance numbers, which are low relative to county peers in both reading and math. The school serves a population with a high concentration of economic disadvantage, and a family may want to ask what specific academic interventions and supports the school provides. The housing in the area is affordable, which may be a draw for families looking to buy in a mid-sized city with a lower cost of living. The school's setting is urban, but within a city that has a clear civic core and a modest pace of growth and development. Because the record lacked information on program offerings, staffing, and discipline, those are gaps
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