The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in English language arts. The lowest is 3% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on The Rbhudson Steam Academy
The RBHudson STEAM Academy serves seventh and eighth graders in Selma, Alabama, as the dedicated middle school of the Selma City school district. Its name signals a focus on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, a district-wide shift in how middle-grade education is structured and delivered. For families considering this school, the academic numbers paint a very clear picture, and the community context matters a great deal.
State testing results from the most recent available year show that proficiency rates across subjects are low. In math, only a tiny share of students at both grade levels met the state’s proficiency bar. In English language arts, seventh graders performed better than eighth graders, with a modest share proficient in grade seven and a smaller share in grade eight. Science, tested in eighth grade only, also showed a low proficiency rate. Combined across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among Dallas County’s two school districts. That is a very small comparison set, but within that limited frame the school’s academic outcomes are notably lower than its only neighbor, the county school system. There is only one year of assessment data available, so no trend can be established.
The student body is nearly entirely Black, reflecting the demographics of Selma itself, where the population is overwhelmingly African-American. A very large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating a high level of economic need. Data on special education and English learner populations were not available. Because the school serves only middle grades, it has no graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism data were also missing from the data set.
Selma is a small city with a rich and painful history. It sits on a bluff above the Alabama River and is best known as a central site of the civil rights movement, anchored by the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Brown Chapel AME Church, and the National Voting Rights Museum. The city has lost a substantial portion of its population since the 1960s as manufacturing and agriculture declined. It is one of Alabama’s poorest cities, with a high poverty rate and a median household income well below state averages. In early 2023, an EF2 tornado caused heavy damage across the city, adding to existing challenges with blight and disinvestment. The city’s development strategy now centers on heritage tourism and historic preservation, not large-scale new housing or commercial growth. Housing values are very low, far below state and national benchmarks. For a family, this means the cost of living is low, but the economic opportunities in the area are limited. The major employers are local government, the school district, and the regional medical center.
Selma City Schools launched a district-wide strategic plan emphasizing literacy, college and career readiness, and social-emotional learning. That plan shapes what happens inside RBHudson. The school itself operates as a regular public school under the district, not as a charter or magnet. No information was provided about specific course offerings, staffing ratios, discipline rates, or extracurricular programs. A parent may want to contact the school directly to learn about elective options, the STEAM curriculum in practice, and what supports are available for students who are behind academically.
This is a school that serves a community with deep needs and limited resources. The test results are very low, which is not surprising given the high poverty context, but it does mean that a student entering seventh grade is likely to need significant academic support, especially in math. The district has publicly committed to literacy and college and career readiness, but the most recent data does not show strong outcomes yet. For a family weighing this school, the fundamental question is whether the school’s support structures and the district’s strategic priorities can translate into academic growth for a child. The evidence to answer that question is thin, because there is only one year of test data and no trend. A parent should ask the school for its own data on how students progress from seventh to eighth grade, what interventions are in place, and how the STEAM focus is implemented day to day.
The peer environment will be one of high poverty and near-total racial homogeneity, reflecting the surrounding city. Selma’s population decline and economic struggles mean the school serves a community that has faced persistent disinvestment. That is not a judgment on the students or families; it is the material context. For some families, a school that shares their community’s background and challenges may feel like the right fit. For others, the limited economic diversity and low academic outcomes may be a concern.
In short, RBHudson STEAM Academy is a middle school in a struggling city, with very low test scores, a high-need student population, and a district that has made recent strategic changes. The available data is sparse, and families will need to gather more information directly from the school to understand whether it can meet their child’s needs.
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