The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in English language arts. The lowest is 6% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Booker T Washington Middle School
Booker T Washington Middle School serves grades six through eight in the Mobile County public school system, part of Alabama’s Gulf Coast port city. Mobile is a mid-size regional economic hub with deep-water port operations, aerospace manufacturing, and shipbuilding shaping its industrial character, along with a historic downtown core and cultural institutions including a symphony, opera, and ballet. The school sits at 1961 Andrews Street within the city.
The student body is predominantly Black, with a much smaller number of Hispanic students and a very small white population. Nearly all students come from low-income households, as indicated by the share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a school where economic disadvantage is the norm, not the exception, and the concentration of poverty is very high. Enrollment is small for a middle school serving three grade levels.
On the Alabama state assessments, Booker T Washington’s proficiency rates are low across all tested subjects and grades. In math, the share of students reaching proficiency is in the single digits across sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. In English language arts, the rate is higher, with the strongest result appearing in seventh grade, but overall performance remains well below half of students meeting the standard. Eighth-grade science results follow a similar pattern. When compared across the county’s districts, the school’s overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile. A parent looking at these results will see a school where academic attainment is a serious challenge.
A single year of tested results is available, so there is no trend data to indicate whether performance is improving, declining, or holding steady. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. State data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the data provided. Information on discipline, staffing, attendance, and course access was also absent, so the picture of day-to-day school operations and climate is incomplete. A family considering this school may want to ask directly about special education services, supports for English learners, and the school’s approach to student discipline and attendance.
The housing context around the school is affordable relative to national and state benchmarks. Home values in the zip code are well below the Alabama median and far below the national median, which reflects the economic profile of the neighborhood. Rents are also low. The area has seen a modest year-over-year decline in home values. For a family, this means the surrounding neighborhood is among the more economically accessible parts of a mid-size city.
The district reported no recent major changes or strategic initiatives in the data available. The Mobile County system covers a wide geographic area with schools spread across the county rather than concentrated downtown, so transportation and commute patterns vary significantly by neighborhood.
Booker T Washington Middle School serves a predominantly low-income, Black student body in a small enrollment setting. The state assessment results are low across subjects, with math proficiency particularly weak and English language arts showing some variation by grade. The school’s overall performance compared to other districts in the county places it in the lowest quarter. A parent considering this school should seek direct conversations about academic interventions, student support systems, and school climate, as the available data raises questions that only a visit and discussions with staff can fully answer.
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