The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Randolph Park Elementary School
Randolph Park Elementary School serves students in first through fifth grade in Anniston, Alabama. It is a regular public school within the Anniston City district. The school’s enrollment is small for its grade band, and nearly all students come from households that qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The student body is overwhelmingly Black, with a small number of students identifying as two or more races and a very small representation of Hispanic and white students. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the materials reviewed.
State testing results from the most recent school year provide the primary picture of academic performance. In English language arts, the share of students meeting proficiency was in a moderately low range across grades three, four, and five, with results varying by grade. In mathematics, proficiency rates were much lower, and in grade five the rate was especially thin. Science, tested only in grade four, showed a low rate of proficiency. Because only one year of assessment data was available, there is no trend to examine. In the context of other districts in Calhoun County, the school’s overall proficiency index placed it in the bottom quartile. A parent looking at these results will want to understand how the school supports students who are behind grade level in math and, to a lesser extent, in reading. The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate is reported, and no chronic absenteeism data was available to assess attendance patterns.
The school offers no advanced coursework such as AP or dual enrollment by definition, as it serves only elementary grades. Information on course access, staffing, and discipline was not available in the data provided. No programs beyond the regular academic curriculum were listed.
Anniston is a mid-sized city and the county seat of Calhoun County. It has a mix of industrial heritage, civic institutions, and residential neighborhoods, and sits in the foothills of the Appalachians. The downtown area along Noble Street houses the courthouse and county offices, and the city is a designated Main Street Alabama community, indicating organized downtown revitalization. The Chief Ladiga Trail, a rails-to-trails project, provides a non-motorized path through the city. Major employers include the Anniston Army Depot and, on the site of the former Fort McClellan, the Center for Domestic Preparedness. Housing in the area is affordable, with home values well below state and national benchmarks. The 2020 census recorded a population decline from the city’s mid-20th century peak. The city adopted a comprehensive plan in 2022 to guide public policy and investment.
The school sits on the west side of Anniston. The neighborhood context is shaped by the city’s broader economic challenges and its status as one of the most affordable places to live in the country. A resident or parent looking at this school should weigh the very low cost of housing in the area against the academic performance profile, which shows a steep math gap and modest reading proficiency. The peer environment is one where nearly every student is from a low-income household, and the school community is racially homogeneous. For families considering this school, the core question is what supports, interventions, or programs are in place to address the academic gaps evident in the state test results. The available data does not describe those supports, so a parent would need to ask the school directly about reading and math intervention, summer learning, and tutoring.
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