The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Evelyn D Houston Elementary School
Evelyn D Houston Elementary School, part of the Talladega City school district, serves grades four through six as a regular public school. It draws its students from Talladega, a city that serves as the county seat and retains the character of an old railroad hub, with a historic courthouse square at its center. The local economy rests on agriculture, timber, manufacturing, and tourism tied to the Talladega Superspeedway. Major institutions like the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, Talladega College, and a community college branch are embedded in the city and shape its civic life. The district operates three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school across the city, and publicly reported district-level changes were scarce in available records.
The school’s enrollment is relatively small for its grade band, and the student body is predominantly Black, with a White minority and smaller shares of Hispanic and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need in the student population. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available.
On state assessments, proficiency rates in math were low across all three tested grades, with the highest rate in fourth grade and declining in each subsequent grade. English language arts proficiency was higher than math at every grade level, with fifth grade showing the strongest results, followed by sixth and then fourth grade. Fourth-grade science proficiency was low. Compared to other districts in Talladega County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom tier. Because only a single year of testing data was present, no trend direction can be established. A parent may want to discuss the school’s academic approach and support structures directly with staff to understand how the school is working to address these outcomes.
No graduation rate is reported, as the school does not serve high school grades. No information on chronic absenteeism, course access, or discipline was available. The school is not a charter or magnet school. Title I status was not reported, though the high share of students receiving meal assistance is consistent with Title I eligibility.
Housing in Talladega is significantly more affordable than the state average. Home values are well below the Alabama benchmark, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment is notably lower than the typical rent, making homeownership comparatively accessible. Rents, too, are below the state average. This affordability reflects the local economic context.
Talladega itself offers a traditional downtown with a historic courthouse square, the Ritz Theatre, and parks, though the overall built environment is auto-dependent. The city includes the campuses of Talladega College and the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, which add institutional density, and the Talladega Superspeedway draws regional tourism. Population growth has been modest, and no major new housing developments were identified in available sources.
Evelyn D Houston Elementary provides a compact, neighborhood-school setting in a small city with a distinctive institutional and industrial history. The academic picture, based on the available test results, shows substantial room for growth, and a family considering this school would likely want to learn more about the specific instructional and support programs in place. The school’s context is one of high economic need, affordable housing, and a community with deep local anchors in education and manufacturing.
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