The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 2% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on George P Austin Junior High School
George P Austin Junior High School serves grades six through eight in Linden, a small rural county-seat town in west-central Alabama. The school is part of the Linden City district, which is the smallest district in the state and operates just three schools. The junior high itself is a regular public school with a very small enrollment, concentrated entirely in those three middle-grade levels.
The student body is overwhelmingly Black, with a very small share of White students. A substantial portion of students come from low-income households, as measured by the share qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, which is high. That economic context is consistent with the community around it. Linden has experienced population decline over the past decade, the local economy is anchored by timber manufacturing and county government, and median household income in the area is low. Housing values in the zip code are well below the state and national benchmarks, reflecting both the rural setting and the limited local job market. A planned widening of the main highway through the region is the most notable infrastructure discussion; no major residential development is evident.
On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, performance was uneven across subjects and grade levels. In English language arts, a modest share of students met proficiency, with slightly higher results in eighth grade than in sixth and seventh. In mathematics, the share of students reaching proficiency was extremely low, effectively near zero in two of the three grades tested. Science results for the only tested grade, eighth, showed about a third of students proficient. When the school’s overall proficiency across subjects and grades is compared to other districts in Marengo County, it placed in the lowest tier. There is only a single year of assessment data available, so no trend can be drawn.
Because this is a middle school, there is no graduation rate to examine, and information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, and staffing was not available in the data used here. A parent interested in special education services or supports for English learners will find no public data for this school, so it would be wise to ask the school directly about those programs.
The Linden City district, of which this school is part, is subject to recent statewide mandates that affect classroom practice. The Alabama Literacy Act now requires early reading screening and intervention, and the Alabama Numeracy Act requires early math screening and a math coach for elementary schools. Both of these initiatives are relevant for a middle school that receives students from the district’s elementary school, as they shape the preparation students arrive with. The district also must offer a virtual learning option under state law, which may give families an alternative to in-person instruction.
For a family considering George P Austin Junior High, the picture is straightforward. This is a small, rural, high-poverty school where academic achievement, particularly in math, is well below the levels typical of the county’s other districts. The community itself is affordable but offers limited economic opportunity and a declining population. A parent would want to discuss with the school what specific interventions and supports are in place for students who are not yet proficient, and whether the district’s new literacy and numeracy initiatives are expected to improve outcomes as students move through the grades. The school serves a distinct population in a tight-knit, small-town setting where the school is one of only a few public institutions in town.
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