The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Charles F Hard Elementary School
Charles F Hard Elementary School serves students in prekindergarten through fifth grade in Bessemer City, an independent school district within Jefferson County. This is a regular public school, not a charter, magnet, or Title I designation was listed in the data. The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of Hispanic students, a much smaller number of students identifying as two or more races, and a very small number of White students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need across the school community.
State testing results from the most recent school year show a challenging academic picture. In mathematics, the proportion of students meeting proficiency standards was low in third grade and lower still in both fourth and fifth grades. In English language arts, performance was stronger but still below a majority, with about a third of third graders and fifth graders meeting proficiency, while fourth graders’ ELA proficiency was lower. Science results for fourth graders showed no students reaching the proficient level. Compared with other districts in Jefferson County, the school’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades sits in the bottom quartile. There is only a single year of testing data available, so no trend can be established. A parent or guardian will want to discuss with the school what academic supports and interventions are in place and how the school is addressing these results.
The school serves a narrow grade band, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on services for students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the records provided. This is a gap a family may wish to ask about directly when contacting the school.
Bessemer is a mid-sized city in southwestern Jefferson County with a history rooted in steelmaking and heavy industry. The city has experienced population decline from a peak several decades ago and faced a severe economic crisis in the 1980s when unemployment climbed sharply. Since then, local economic development efforts have sought to diversify the industrial base. Major employers now include an Amazon fulfillment center, a hospital, and a mix of manufacturing and distribution firms. The built environment is spread out and car dependent, with Interstate 59/20 as the main commercial corridor. Bessemer City Schools operates as an independent system with elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school distributed across the city, along with a community college campus. Housing values in the area are well below both state and national benchmarks, and rents are modest relative to incomes. The broader housing market has been relatively flat.
The district itself does not appear in the search results to have had major recent changes such as a referendum, a curriculum overhaul, or a new construction project that would be of lasting relevance to parents. This absence of news is itself notable; the school and district appear to be operating without a major disruption or transformation in the near past. Families looking for a sense of momentum or recent investment may want to follow local school board meetings and district communications more closely.
Charles F Hard Elementary School is a neighborhood school in a city that has faced sustained economic challenges and population loss. The student body is economically disadvantaged at a high rate, and state test scores place the school’s academic performance well below most of its county peers. A parent considering this school will want to understand what specific academic interventions, tutoring, and support programs are available and how the school works to move students toward grade-level proficiency. The school’s small size for its grade band means it is a close-knit setting, and the lack of data on special populations or disciplinary climate means those are open questions a family should raise with the school directly.
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