Big Sandy Elementary

Q: Is Big Sandy Elementary a good school?

Big Sandy Elementary ranks 397 th of 684 Alabama elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Big Sandy Elementary is a public elementary school in Moundville, Alabama, serving around 480 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Tuscaloosa County School District.

Big Sandy Elementary has a relatively balanced racial composition, with 48.96% White and 43.12% African American students, which sets it apart from some nearby schools that tend to be more homogeneous. However, the school has seen a decline in its statewide ranking over the past few years, dropping from 150 out of 680 Alabama elementary schools in 2017-2018 to 397 out of 684 in the most recent 2023-2024 school year. Its academic performance on state assessments is mixed, with some grades and subjects performing better than others compared to the Tuscaloosa County and Alabama averages. The school's African American students and students with low socioeconomic status tend to perform below the state average, while female students have historically outperformed their male counterparts.

Compared to nearby schools, Big Sandy Elementary has a more balanced racial composition than schools like Taylorville Primary and Englewood Elementary, which have much higher percentages of African American students. While Big Sandy's performance is mixed, it generally outperforms some lower-performing Tuscaloosa City schools, such as Skyland Elementary and Oakdale Elementary, in both mathematics and English language arts. However, Big Sandy has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to many Tuscaloosa City schools, which have significantly higher rates of poverty.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

11950 Upper Hull Road
Moundville, AL 35474

(205) 342-2840

District: Tuscaloosa County

SchoolDigger Rank:
397^th of 684 Alabama Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,270

Students who attend Big Sandy Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Duncanville Middle School
High:	Hillcrest High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.3

Number of students: 496

Racial breakdown:

African American:

45.6%

White:

44.8%

Hispanic:

7.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 55.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Big Sandy Elementary ranks worse than 58% of elementary schools in Alabama. It also ranks 9^th among 17 ranked elementary schools in the Tuscaloosa County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 44.09. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (45.6%), White (44.8%), Hispanic (7.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 55.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Big Sandy Elementary is 16.3, which is the 8^th best among 17 elementary schools in the Tuscaloosa County School District. (See more...)

Compare Big Sandy Elementary employs 30.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Big Sandy Elementary is $9,270. 10 elementary schools in the Tuscaloosa County School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Big Sandy Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Big Sandy Elementary 397^th of 684 Alabama public elementary schools. (See Big Sandy Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

White students:

Tuscaloosa County:

SchoolDigger ranks Tuscaloosa County 90^th of 137 Alabama school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Big Sandy Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Big Sandy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2015	76.02	136^th	691	80.3%
2016	78.05	126^th	691	81.8%
2017	72.67	158^th	688	77.0%
2018	76.26	150^th	680	77.9%
2019	72.04	161^st	681	76.4%
2021	71.87	168^th	692	75.7%
2022	62.77	234^th	687	65.9%
2023	52.75	328^th	680	51.8%
2024	44.09	397^th	684	42.0%

See the entire list of Alabama Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Big Sandy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	36.21	257^th	392	34.4%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Big Sandy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	46.15	323^rd	567	43.0%
2018	61.96	226^th	651	65.3%
2019	78.77	75^th	649	88.4%
2021	64.30	197^th	653	69.8%
2022	59.83	249^th	651	61.8%
2023	56.37	268^th	623	57.0%
2024	33.58	468^th	670	30.1%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Big Sandy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	71.36	150^th	639	76.5%
2018	67.58	191^st	640	70.2%
2019	66.09	189^th	646	70.7%
2021	78.47	104^th	656	84.1%
2022	70.35	164^th	656	75.0%
2023	60.04	251^st	645	61.1%
2024	48.18	344^th	650	47.1%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Big Sandy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	70.39	152^nd	639	76.2%
2018	78.27	127^th	650	80.5%
2019	71.49	161^st	650	75.2%
2021	62.52	228^th	669	65.9%
2022	53.00	320^th	669	52.2%
2023	44.80	371^st	649	42.8%
2024	39.07	424^th	655	35.3%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Big Sandy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	54.03	127^th	336	62.2%
2018	67.45	100^th	423	76.4%
2019	62.37	122^nd	426	71.4%
2021	66.89	101^st	426	76.3%
2022	67.95	90^th	426	78.9%
2023	56.96	141^st	427	67.0%
2024	50.43	182^nd	420	56.7%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Big Sandy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	66.56	107^th	369	71.0%
2018	70.56	129^th	508	74.6%
2019	70.16	124^th	529	76.6%
2021	73.93	112^th	539	79.2%
2022	60.68	187^th	540	65.4%
2023	53.41	238^th	528	54.9%
2024	45.98	294^th	535	45.0%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Alabama State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Alabama State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, July 18, 2016

BIG SANDY ELEMENTARY IS A GREAT SCHOOL!!!! THE STAFF IS AWESOME Close Quote

Enrollment information for Big Sandy Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2014	227	132	2	1	0	3	365
2015	207	118	3	3	0	4	335
2016	210	111	1	6	0	9	337
2017	217	107	2	5	0	3	334
2018	216	110	2	10	0	3	341
2019	220	122	2	11	1	1	357
2020	229	146	4	15	0	3	397
2021	246	172	5	19	1	4	447
2022	231	183	4	22	2	4	446
2023	235	207	4	29	1	4	480
2024	222	226	6	35	2	5	496

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Big Sandy Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	365	21.0	17.3	46.6
2015	335	18.0	18.6	45.1
2016	337	17.0	19.8	29.7
2017	334	17.0	19.6	37.7
2018	341	17.0	20.0	38.7
2019	357	17.0	21.0	41.5
2020	397	19.0	20.8	42.1
2021	447	21.0	21.2	41.4
2022	446	22.0	20.2	39
2023	480	25.0	19.2	54.4
2024	496	30.4	16.3	55.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Big Sandy Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	365	21.0	17.3	46.6
2015	335	18.0	18.6	45.1
2016	337	17.0	19.8	29.7
2017	334	17.0	19.6	37.7
2018	341	17.0	20.0	38.7
2019	357	17.0	21.0	41.5
2020	397	19.0	20.8	42.1
2021	447	21.0	21.2	41.4
2022	446	22.0	20.2	39
2023	480	25.0	19.2	54.4
2024	496	30.4	16.3	55.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Big Sandy Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,129 (12.2%)	$8,117 (87.6%)	$9,270

Data source: Alabama Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Big Sandy Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 161^st of 681 Elementary schools	Ranks 328^th of 680 Elementary schools	24.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Big Sandy Elementary)	72.7	30.6	42.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Tuscaloosa County)	54.3	37.2	17.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	57.5	43.6	13.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Big Sandy Elementary)	61.5	38.3	23.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Tuscaloosa County)	47.7	34.6	13.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	47.3	34.9	12.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Big Sandy Elementary)	50.8	33.3	17.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Tuscaloosa County)	46	31	15%
5th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	44.9	33.9	10.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	357	480	34.5%
African American	122	207	69.7%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	2	4	100%
Hispanic	11	29	163.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	220	235	6.8%
Two or More Races	1	4	300%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	41.5%	54.4%	12.9%

Schools Near Big Sandy Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Summative Assessment Mathematics (2024)			Summative Assessment Science (2024)	Summative Assessment English (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Summative Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment English 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Big Sandy Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	11950 Upper Hull Road	Moundville	35474	Hale County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	No	(205) 342-2840	496	30	16.3	55.8%	222 (44.8%)	226 (45.6%)	35 (7.1%)	6 (1.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.0%)	44.1	397^th of 684 public elementary schools	42.0%		52.8	328^th of 680 public elementary schools	51.8%	69	20.6	39.2	25.5	33.8	55.9	56.8	68.1	$9,270	$1,129	$8,117
Englewood Elementary School	Public	3-5	10300 Old Greensboro Rd	Tuscaloosa	35405	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 342-2644	527	30	17.8	73.6%	97 (18.4%)	388 (73.6%)	14 (2.7%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	21 (4.0%)	27.3	503^rd of 684 public elementary schools	26.5%		37.5	434^th of 680 public elementary schools	36.2%	69	16.6	17.7	20.9	16.1	53.9	50.0	57.1	$8,323	$1,418	$6,881
Moundville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	537 Alabama Ave	Moundville	35474	Hale County	Hale County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 371-2679	604	34	17.7	55.1%	326 (54.0%)	258 (42.7%)	9 (1.5%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.2%)	43	412^th of 684 public elementary schools	39.8%		35.7	452^nd of 680 public elementary schools	33.5%	40	34.0	33.3	18.7	36.7	53.1	63.3	58.7	$8,869	$1,335	$7,511
Taylorville Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	350 Bobby Miller Pkwy	Tuscaloosa	35405	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 342-2939	579	32	18.0	68.6%	85 (14.7%)	439 (75.8%)	23 (4.0%)	6 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (4.3%)								(n/a)								$9,620	$1,422	$8,175
Myrtlewood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	14701 Gainsville Rd	Fosters	35463	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 342-2658	304	19	16.4	56.3%	179 (58.9%)	108 (35.5%)	10 (3.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.0%)	65.6	217^th of 684 public elementary schools	68.3%		63.9	239^th of 680 public elementary schools	64.9%	22	44.9	36.2		46.6	83.7	62.1		$10,065	$1,838	$8,204
Maxwell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	11370 Monticello Dr	Duncanville	35456	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 342-2656	509	27	18.5	72.1%	294 (57.8%)	139 (27.3%)	53 (10.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.5%)	63.4	236^th of 684 public elementary schools	65.5%		60.6	257^th of 680 public elementary schools	62.2%	21	34.3	50.6	39.1	57.3	56.2	65.6	72.1	$8,661	$1,340	$7,298
Skyland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	408 Skyland Boulevard East	Tuscaloosa	35405	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 759-3638	456	27	17.0	85.5%	7 (1.5%)	376 (82.5%)	61 (13.4%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.3%)	23.8	521^st of 684 public elementary schools	23.8%		17	555^th of 680 public elementary schools	18.4%	34	31.4	23.0	27.0	17.6	43.5	41.7	38.1	$11,558	$2,241	$9,145
Southview Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2601 Southview Drive	Tuscaloosa	35405	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 345-1325	645	35	18.3	76.3%	10 (1.6%)	605 (93.8%)	12 (1.9%)	7 (1.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.4%)	25.6	509^th of 684 public elementary schools	25.6%		9.9	634^th of 680 public elementary schools	6.8%	125	16.7	21.1	31.9	20.0	35.9	45.4	54.4	$11,621	$2,079	$9,524
Oakdale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5001 25th Street	Tuscaloosa	35401	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 759-3626	289	21	13.8	78.2%	1 (0.3%)	267 (92.4%)	15 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	12.6	607^th of 684 public elementary schools	11.3%		9.7	636^th of 680 public elementary schools	6.5%	29	31.7	7.7	6.4	12.8	39.0	30.8	25.5	$12,270	$2,250	$10,000
Martin L King Junior Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2430 Martin L King Jr Blvd	Tuscaloosa	35401	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 759-3619	475	31	15.3	82.9%	1 (0.2%)	426 (89.7%)	43 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.1%)	25.5	511^th of 684 public elementary schools	25.3%		13.9	589^th of 680 public elementary schools	13.4%	78	23.9	38.7	20.4	16.1	40.3	43.6	44.4	$12,095	$2,487	$9,589

Frequently Asked Questions about Big Sandy Elementary

What schools do graduates of Big Sandy Elementary attend?

Students who attend Big Sandy Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Duncanville Middle School
High : Hillcrest High School

How many students attend Big Sandy Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 496 students attended Big Sandy Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Big Sandy Elementary?

Students at Big Sandy Elementary are 46% African American, 45% White, 7% Hispanic, 1% Asian, 1% Two or more races.

What district is Big Sandy Elementary in?

Tuscaloosa County

Is Big Sandy Elementary a good school?

Big Sandy Elementary ranks 397^th of 684 Alabama elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Alabama State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.