The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in English language arts. The lowest is 18% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Winston County High School
Winston County High School serves students in grades eight through twelve in the small town of Double Springs, which is the county seat of Winston County. The school sits within a community that has a traditional town square anchored by the county courthouse, and the surrounding area includes the William B. Bankhead National Forest, offering outdoor recreational opportunities. The local economy includes a mix of manufacturing, retail, and educational services. Housing in the area is priced well below both state and national benchmarks, reflecting the rural setting. The town saw a notable expansion of manufacturing facilities in the 1990s, but recent information on new housing development or broader growth was not readily available.
The student body is overwhelmingly white, with a very small number of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a significant level of economic need within the school population. Enrollment across grades eight through twelve is relatively small, with each grade level having a similar number of students, which suggests a stable and contained high school environment.
On the most recent state assessments, results varied by subject. In English language arts, a majority of eighth graders met the proficiency standard, which is a positive sign for literacy skills at that grade level. In science, about half of eighth graders reached proficiency. In math, however, the proficiency rate was notably lower, with only a modest share of students meeting the standard. This pattern carried through in the school’s combined performance across all tested subjects and grades, which placed in the bottom quartile when compared to other districts in Winston County. There were only two districts in the county for this comparison, so the range is narrow, and the school’s position is toward the lower end of that small set. A parent may want to ask the school about the math curriculum and what supports are available for students who are not yet on grade level in that subject.
The school serves grades eight through twelve, so state testing data was available for eighth grade, but results for other high school grade levels were not reported in the data we reviewed. The graduation rate, chronic absenteeism rate, and other longer-term outcome measures were also not available. Data on discipline, staffing, and course access was not provided. We looked for district-level changes or strategic priorities that might affect the high school but found little of lasting impact to report.
Winston County High School is a regular public school that is not a charter or magnet. The school’s website, the Winston County School System’s main offices, and other local schools like Double Springs Elementary School are all located within the town, keeping school-related activities close to the center of the community. For a family considering this school, the takeaway is a small, rural high school where English language arts performance is solid, math achievement is a clear area of concern, and the community offers affordable housing and a quiet, nature-oriented setting. The school’s overall academic results, based on the limited data available, suggest that a family should look into the math instruction and intervention strategies in particular.
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