Etowah County Schools is celebrating a major academic milestone after earning a 90, an A, on the Alabama State Department of Education’s annual report card — a four-point increase from last year and the district’s highest score since the state introduced its letter-grade accountability system.
Superintendent Alan Cosby credited students, teachers and staff for the district’s continued progress.
“We’re incredibly proud of our schools, our educators and our students,” Cosby said. “This ‘A’ reflects the teamwork, commitment and passion that drive Etowah County Schools every day.”
Four schools earned individual A ratings:
John Jones Elementary, 97
Southside Elementary, 92
Whitesboro Elementary, 92
Ivalee Elementary, 90
The Alabama State Report Card evaluates student achievement, academic growth and other indicators of school performance. District officials said Etowah County’s rising scores reflect its ongoing focus on student success and strong community support.
“We’re thrilled to see this progress,” Cosby said. “It shows what can happen when everyone — students, families and educators — works together toward a shared goal. We’re proud of this progress and excited to keep moving forward.”
Several Etowah County schools made significant gains.
Sardis and Glencoe Middle schools increased their overall scores by 10 points, with the Lions rising from 76 to 86 and the Yellow Jackets increasing their score from 78 to 88. Hokes Bluff and West End high schools each jumped by 9 points, putting them at 81 and 83 overall. The score of 83 is an all-time high for West End.
The Gadsden and Attalla City School systems maintained their overall B averages, with several schools making exceptional gains.
Walnut Park Elementary School led the district with a 14-point jump, rising from 71 to 85. Sansom Middle School followed with a 6-point gain, while Mitchell Elementary School added 4 points, bringing its overall average to 93. Donehoo Elementary School improved by 3 points to reach 90, and Litchfield Middle School posted a 2-point increase.
Eura Brown Elementary School maintained its perfect proficiency score of 100, making it one of 19 schools statewide to earn that distinction.
Gadsden Middle School increased its score from 80 to 83, and Striplin Elementary maintained a grade of 80.
Attalla City’s B average was bolstered by a 3-point gain at Attalla Elementary School, while Etowah Middle School and Etowah High School both maintained their B averages.
The state of Alabama received an overall score of 87, the highest average in the state’s history.
More information about state testing report cards is available at https://reportcard.alsde.edu
