Numerous MPS schools named to Alabama’s failing schools list

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Eleven of Montgomery’s public schools have found themselves on the list of lowest-performing facilities in Alabama.

The annual list is mandated by the Alabama Accountability Act. Students at schools on the list are allowed to transfer to non-failing public or private schools with their families being eligible for a tax credit to help pay for tuition.

Statewide, there are 75 schools from 28 school systems on the list for the 2020-21 school year. That’s down one from 2019.

MPS saw an increase of one school on the list. The schools on the failing school list include:

Bellingrath Middle (Returning to list from the previous year)
Capitol Heights Middle (Returning to list from the previous year)
Davis Elementary (Returning to list from the previous year)
Dunbar-Ramer (New to the list)
Goodwyn Middle (New to the list)
Highland Gardens Elementary (Returning to list from the previous year)
Jefferson Davis High (Returning to list from the previous year)
Sidney Lanier High (Returning to list from the previous year)
Robert E. Lee High (New to the list)
E.D. Nixon Elementary (Returning to list from the previous year)
Southlawn Middle (Returning to list from the previous year)

Three facilities that were on the list last year but not this year include Chisholm Elementary and Seth Johnson Elementary. The third, Georgia Washington Middle, is no longer part of the MPS system.

“We are working to do better,” said MPS Chief Academic Officer Bernard Mitchell, who is disappointed with the results, but expects continuing improvement. “We are so excited that we are making progress on our state report card numbers, and we are expecting to perform better in academic achievement as well."

"We know that as teachers continue to engage our students in standards-based, student-centered instruction in all of our schools, we will see the names of MPS schools removed from this list,” Mitchell added.

Parents of children who attend these schools will soon be given information on their options for the 2020-2021 school year, MPS officials said.

For a list of all the other failing schools in the WSFA 12 News viewing area, click HERE.