The top reported proficiency rate is 76% in English language arts. The lowest is 44% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Eastwood Elementary School
Eastwood Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade in Decatur, a mid-sized river city in north Alabama where manufacturing, chemicals, and aerospace anchor the economy. The school is one of the elementary options within the Decatur City district, and for families eyeing the southeast side of town, it sits at 1802 26th Avenue Southeast.
On state assessments from the 2024-25 school year, Eastwood’s students posted reading and language arts results that stand as a clear strength. The proficiency rate in English language arts across tested grades was well above what many schools in the area show, with particularly strong performance in third grade. Math proficiency was lower overall, though it climbed from grade to grade, with fifth graders outperforming their younger peers. Science results, tested only in fourth grade, were the softest area, and a parent may want to ask the school how science instruction is supported in the earlier grades and whether there are plans to address that gap. The school’s combined proficiency index across all subjects and grades placed it above the midpoint among the three districts in Morgan County, a solid position for a public elementary school.
The student body is relatively small for a K-5 campus and draws from a community where a substantial share of families qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting the mix of blue-collar and professional households that make up much of Decatur’s workforce. Racially, the school is predominantly white, with a notable share of Black students and a smaller but present Hispanic population, along with a modest number of students who identify as two or more races. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the reporting, so families with children who have special education needs or are learning English may want to contact the school directly to understand what services are in place.
The school occupies a regular public school building, not a charter or magnet, and serves a neighborhood that is part of Decatur’s established southeast quadrant. The city itself has an owner-occupied housing rate typical of a mature industrial town, and the median home value in the area is notably lower than the state average, a pattern that can make home-buying more accessible for families. Rents have been rising in recent years, but renting is still less expensive on a monthly basis than buying a home at current mortgage rates, a dynamic many local parents will recognize. Commuting patterns are car-dependent, with residents driving to work across a spread-out city footprint.
The Decatur City district did not show any major recent changes or new initiatives in publicly available research. The school itself has single-year testing data only, so there is no trend line yet to show whether proficiency is improving or declining over time. That is a gap families may want to track in future state report cards.
For a parent weighing elementary options, Eastwood offers a setting where English language arts instruction is a recognizable strength, where class sizes are moderate given the overall enrollment, and where the surrounding housing market is more affordable than many parts of Alabama. The math and science numbers suggest room for growth, and the lack of detail on special programs and student supports means a phone call or visit to the school would be a natural next step. The school fits a family that values strong early literacy results, is comfortable in a mid-sized industrial city, and wants a neighborhood elementary without the program bells and whistles that some larger or specialized schools advertise.
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