The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in English language arts. The lowest is 18% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Childersburg Middle School
Childersburg Middle School serves roughly 270 students in grades six through eight, making it a smaller middle school. It is a regular public school in the Talladega County district, located in the small city of Childersburg in southwest Talladega County. The student body is predominantly Black and White, together making up the large majority of enrollment, with small shares of Hispanic, multiracial, and Asian students. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of the economic context families navigate here. Data on students receiving special education services or English learner support was not available.
Academic performance at the school presents a split picture. The strongest results are in English language arts. Across all three grades, more than half of students scored proficient on the state assessment, with sixth grade posting the highest rate. Science, tested only in eighth grade, also showed a proficiency rate in that range, a solid outcome for that subject at this grade level. Math is the area of real concern. Proficiency rates were low across all grades, with the overall school figure falling well below the midpoint when compared to other districts in Talladega County. Seventh grade posted the weakest math results, and while eighth grade was higher, it still remained well below the school’s performance in reading and science. A parent considering this school would want to ask the school directly about math instruction, intervention, and curriculum, as this gap is the most significant academic soft spot.
The school is located in Childersburg, a town that describes itself as the oldest continuously occupied settlement in America. The local economy is a mix of manufacturing, retail, health care, and hospitality, anchored by a pulp and paper plant and a rayon manufacturer. The town’s population has been slowly declining in recent decades, and the housing market reflects relative affordability, with typical home values well below both the state and national benchmarks. There were no major new housing developments or growth initiatives identified in publicly available sources, and no recent parent-relevant changes to the school district were found in web research. The town is not organized around a walkable grid; its built environment follows the highway corridors. Civic anchors include the Coosa River, Lay Lake, Majestic Caverns, and historic sites like the Kymulga Grist Mill.
What this means for a family is a stable, small middle school in a town with a modest economic base and a slowly shrinking population. The peer environment is economically diverse in the sense of a high share of families eligible for meal assistance. The academic pathway is strong in literacy for this age group, with a typical middle-school science result, but math performance is an area that would require careful attention from the school and from families at home. For a parent focused on a school where reading outcomes are a clear strength and where the scale is small enough for a student to be known, Childersburg Middle School fits that description. For a parent prioritizing grade-level math outcomes as a baseline, those numbers warrant a closer look at the school’s approach to math instruction and support.
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