The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in English language arts. The lowest is 38% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Haleyville Middle School
Haleyville Middle School serves grades six through eight as a regular public school in the Haleyville City school system. It is the only middle school in the district, sitting between Haleyville Elementary School and Haleyville High School, with the Haleyville Center of Technology providing career and vocational training within the same system. The school operates in a small city in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, a place that grew from a crossroads settlement and is known nationally as the site of the first 9-1-1 emergency call. The local economy is built around manufacturing—cabinet making, bedding, outdoor furniture, metal fabrication, and related industries—which gives the community a stable, working-class character.
Academically, the school shows a clear split between subjects. On the state’s ACAP assessments, English language arts proficiency is a strength. Across all three grades, a solid majority of students meet the proficiency standard, with the share rising slightly from sixth to eighth grade. Science, tested only in eighth grade, also shows a majority of students proficient. Math is a different story. Proficiency rates are considerably lower, with roughly a third of sixth graders and eighth graders and just under half of seventh graders reaching the bar. This pattern—stronger reading and weaker math—is common in many schools, but the gap here is wide enough that a parent may want to ask the school about the specific math interventions and supports available. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages results across subjects and grades, sits above the midpoint when compared with the two school districts in Winston County. That is a narrow comparison set, but it places the school in the stronger half of local options.
The student body is majority white, with a notable Hispanic minority and very small numbers of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with significant economic need. This is consistent with the community’s manufacturing base and modest housing market. The school’s Title I status was not reported, but the free-lunch rate alone suggests a high level of federal support. The school environment and access section contain no data on discipline, staffing, course access, or attendance, so a parent may want to follow up directly with the school on those topics. Chronic absenteeism rates were also not available, but the school’s small size and community roots may mean that families are closely connected to the school.
The town of Haleyville itself is compact, with a downtown that hosts a 9-1-1 Festival and a few historic sites, but the school campus is separate from the commercial core. Housing is affordable relative to the state and nation, and the modest housing values align with the area’s income levels. The city has seen modest population growth in recent decades, and in recent years it became the first in Winston County to allow alcohol sales, a change that may have affected local commerce. The district brief found no recent strategic changes or major initiatives publicly reported, so the school’s academic direction appears stable.
Overall, Haleyville Middle School serves a community with a strong manufacturing identity and a relatively high level of economic need. Its English language arts and science results are solid, while math proficiency is an area of concern. Parents considering this school should expect a small, community-anchored environment where the majority of students qualify for meal assistance, and where the academic profile is strongest in reading and weakest in math. The school’s position relative to the other district in the county is favorable, but the comparison set is small. For families already in the Haleyville City system, this is the only middle school option, so the question is less about choice and more about how the school supports students who enter below grade level in math.
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