The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in English language arts. The lowest is 46% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mount Hope
Mount Hope is a small, rural public elementary school in Lawrence County, Alabama, serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade on a single campus. The school is the only public school in the unincorporated community of Mount Hope, a place that has experienced significant historical disruption, including the loss of its high school to a fire years ago and severe damage from a major tornado. Because Mount Hope Elementary ends at sixth grade, every student who spends their early years here must transition to a different school system for seventh grade and beyond, with families choosing among several nearby high schools in the surrounding area.
The school itself is small by any measure, with an enrollment that keeps class sizes intimate and the campus feeling close-knit. The student body is overwhelmingly white, with a modest share of students who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native and a very small number of students who are Black or of two or more races. More than two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is substantial and places the school in a high-poverty context. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available.
On state assessments administered by Alabama, Mount Hope Elementary shows a mixed academic picture that varies notably by grade level and subject. In reading, performance was strong in sixth grade, where a clear majority of students scored proficient, and above the midpoint in third through fifth grades. In math, the results are more uneven. Third graders posted a high proficiency rate, but fourth-grade math was a soft spot, with a much smaller share of students reaching proficiency. Math performance improved in fifth and sixth grades, though it did not return to the level seen in third grade. In the one tested science grade, fourth grade, about half of students were proficient. These results are from a single year, and no trend data is available to show whether performance is improving or declining over time. A parent may want to ask the school about how math instruction progresses across the grades and what interventions are in place for the grades where proficiency dips.
The community context is rural and low-density. Mount Hope has no incorporated municipal government, no traditional downtown, and no public transit. Residents rely on personal vehicles, and the nearest town of any size is a moderate drive away. Housing values and household incomes in the area are well below national averages, and the local economy appears stagnant, with no major new development identified. The school sits on a county road in a roadside setting, and the community's civic anchors are limited to the school itself and a local church. There is no public library or parks system in Mount Hope itself.
Because Mount Hope is the only school in its district that reports these assessment results, there is no basis within the county to compare it against another elementary school. The comparison system notes that there is only one district in Lawrence County, so a neighbor-to-neighbor academic ranking is not possible. For a parent or resident, the essential character of Mount Hope is that of a small, rural elementary school serving a community that has faced economic and physical hardships. The school's reading scores are generally solid, especially in the upper elementary grades, while math presents a more variable picture that warrants attention. Families who enroll here should plan ahead for the transition after sixth grade, as the school does not feed into a single middle or high school but sends graduates to multiple surrounding systems. For a family that values a very small school environment, a rural setting, and strong reading instruction in the later elementary years, Mount Hope could be a good fit, particularly if they are prepared to navigate the post-sixth-grade options.
See more original research from School Decision →