Myrtlewood Elementary School, Fosters AL

Original Research by School Decision on Myrtlewood Elementary School

Myrtlewood Elementary School is a regular public school in the unincorporated rural community of Fosters, about ten miles southwest of Tuscaloosa. It serves children from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade, which means it does not have a graduation rate to report; that metric simply does not apply to an elementary school. It is part of the Tuscaloosa County school system.

The school’s academic picture comes from the Alabama ACAP assessments in the 2024-25 school year, the only year of data available, so trends cannot be established. In English language arts, a substantial majority of both third and fourth graders met proficiency, which is a clear strength. Science results for fourth graders were close to the midpoint, with about half of students proficient. Math results present a more varied story. Fourth graders outperformed third graders by a noticeable margin, and the third-grade math proficiency rate was a soft spot. A parent considering the school may want to ask the school directly about how math instruction and supports are structured, particularly in the early grades.

Overall, when the school’s combined proficiency across subjects and grades is compared against other districts in Tuscaloosa County, Myrtlewood falls in the top quartile among those that reported data. That comparison set is small—only a handful of districts in the county—but it does indicate that the school’s results are on the higher end relative to the area.

The student body is modest in size for a PK-04 school. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Racially, the enrollment is predominantly white and black, with a small Hispanic presence and very small shares of other groups. Data on special education enrollment and English learner status were not available, so a reader interested in those supports would need to check with the district.

Fosters itself is a low-density, agricultural community with no downtown. Homes sit on acreage; the local strip of commerce includes a grocery, a feed store, a gas station, and a dollar store. Most residents commute to Tuscaloosa for work. The school is one of the community’s civic anchors, alongside churches and a volunteer fire department. Walkability is very low; there are no sidewalks or pedestrian infrastructure to speak of.

Housing values in the area are below the national median and have seen a slight decline recently. The mix of affordable single-family homes on land, combined with the rural setting and a short commute to a mid-sized city, tends to attract families who want space and a small-school environment.

For a family that values a solid elementary school with notably strong ELA outcomes and is comfortable with a rural, car-dependent lifestyle, Myrtlewood Elementary fits that profile. The math results, especially in third grade, warrant a conversation with the school, but the overall proficiency picture is favorable relative to other districts in the county.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 331%

School 31% · District 33% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 447%

School 47% · District 38% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 374%

School 74% · District 59% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 468%

School 68% · District 58% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Science

Grade 451%

School 51% · District 38% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

This schoolTuscaloosa County, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income39%Higher-income56%17 pp gap