Forest Hills School vs. Brooks Elementary School

Forest Hills School in Florence, AL, ranked #126 in Alabama in 2023, showing a decline from its peak rank of #36 in 2016 and fluctuating rankings over the past decade.

Math proficiency was 54% in 2023, higher than the Alabama state average of 30%, though this reflects a decline from a high of 95% in 2012; reading proficiency stood at 69%, higher than the state average of 47%, maintaining a generally strong position.

Minority enrollment accounted for 36% of the 827 students in 2023, with stable enrollment and a consistent student–teacher ratio of 15:1 over recent years; 39% of students qualified for free lunch in 2023, reflecting socioeconomic factors.

Forest Hills School serves grades Pre–K through 4 with 55 teachers and participates in the National School Lunch Program under the Community Eligibility Option; the school had a 94% graduation rate in 2023, exceeding the state average of 88%.

Science proficiency ranged from 55% to 59%, higher than the state average of approximately 38%, though reported data shows an unusually high figure likely due to formatting errors, which should be noted.

Brooks Elementary School in Killen, AL is ranked #168 in the state in 2023, showing improvement from #301 in 2021 but a decline from its peak rank of #105 in 2014; it consistently ranks in the top 20% for overall testing performance in Alabama.

Math proficiency was 53% in 2023, higher than the state average of 30%, while reading proficiency was 62%, also higher than the state average of 47%; science proficiency ranged between 40–44%, approximately equal to the state average of 38%.

Enrollment was 853 students in grades Pre–K through 6 with a student–teacher ratio of 18:1; minority enrollment accounted for 15%, with 40% of students eligible for free lunch, marking an increase from 29% eligibility in 2019.

Graduation rates have consistently exceeded the state average, reaching 95% in 2023 compared to the state rate of 88%, indicating strong student retention and completion in this Lauderdale County public elementary school.