Straughn Middle School, Andalusia AL

Original Research by School Decision on Straughn Middle School

Straughn Middle School is a regular public school serving grades six through eight in rural Covington County, near Andalusia, Alabama. It is part of the Covington County school district, which covers a wide area of south-central Alabama. The school’s enrollment is moderate for a middle school. The student body is predominantly white, and a majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a reflection of the local economic context.

Academically, the school stands out among its county peers. State assessment results from the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program show strong performance in English language arts across all three grades. Science, which is tested only in eighth grade, is also a clear strength. Math proficiency is solid in grades six and eight, but weaker at the seventh-grade level. Parents considering the school should feel confident in the literacy and science programs, but may want to ask the school about its math curriculum and support structures for seventh graders specifically. Across all tested subjects and grades combined, the school’s overall proficiency is the highest among Covington County’s three school districts, according to the available comparison. Because only a single year of assessment data is available, it is not yet possible to identify trends from year to year.

The student composition is almost entirely white, with very small numbers of Black, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students, and no American Indian students. Data on the share of students with disabilities or English learners were not reported in the profile, so families with children who have needs in those areas should ask the district directly for specifics. The economic environment of the school is shaped by the broader community. Andalusia, the county seat, has an economy anchored by timber and wood products manufacturing, with Shaw Industries and Wayne Farms operating major facilities there. Lurleen B. Wallace Community College is also located in the city. The area’s population has been declining slightly in recent years, and housing is relatively affordable compared to national benchmarks.

The district brief turned up no recent major changes or initiatives that directly affect the middle school. Information on school discipline, attendance rates, and staffing levels was not available in the source data, so families will need to seek those details from the school. The school’s location on Straughn School Road places it outside the immediate downtown, in a setting typical of rural county schools.

Overall, Straughn Middle School presents a strong academic picture, particularly in literacy and science, and it leads its county in composite proficiency. The dip in seventh-grade math is the one area a parent would want to investigate. The school serves a predominantly white, lower-income community in a rural county with a stable industrial economy and accessible housing. For families looking within Covington County, this school is worth a close look, with the caveat of limited data on student support services and disciplinary climate.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 664%

School 64% · District 45% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 35 pts above state median

Grade 744%

School 44% · District 30% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median

Grade 870%

School 70% · District 37% · ▲ 33 pts above district

▲ 55 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 687%

School 87% · District 65% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 32 pts above state median

Grade 779%

School 79% · District 66% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median

Grade 886%

School 86% · District 62% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 34 pts above state median

Science

Grade 887%

School 87% · District 56% · ▲ 30 pts above district

▲ 52 pts above state median

This schoolCovington County, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income81%Higher-income95%14 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income81%Higher-income90%9 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income60%Higher-income69%9 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income38%Higher-income53%15 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income57%Higher-income82%24 pp gap