Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School, a Marshall County Title–I eligible middle school in Grant, AL, serves grades 5–8 with 364 students and a student–teacher ratio of 17:1 as of 2023.
The school's overall ranking declined from #242 in 2010 to #539 in 2023, placing it in the top 50% of Alabama schools.
Math proficiency was 24%, lower than the state average of 30%, showing a downward trend from a high of 88% in 2012; reading proficiency was 51%, higher than the state average of 47%; science proficiency ranged from 40–44%, higher than the state average of 38%.
Enrollment stabilized near 364 students in 2023 after a decline from 442 students in 2016, while the percentage of students eligible for free lunch decreased from 52% in 2016 to 34% in 2023.
The student body is 90% white with minority enrollment at 10%, and the school employs 22 teachers supporting various learning needs without virtual instruction options.
- Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School has experienced a clear long-term slide in state standing, alongside sharp drops in math and reading proficiency from earlier highs. The school’s 376 students now learn in a 5-8 setting with a 1:18 student-teacher ratio, but the academic trend has been notably weaker than it was in the earlier part of the timeline.
- Enrollment is currently 376 students, and the biggest community shift has been a gradual rise in diversity over time, with the diversity score climbing to its highest point in 2025. Free lunch eligibility also moved to a new, stable level in the mid-30s after a jump around the middle of the timeline, while reduced-price lunch eligibility has stayed very low and mostly flat.
- The overall state rank has been volatile and has trended downward, with a sharp drop in the middle of the timeline followed by only a partial recovery and later slippage. That means the school has not returned to its earlier stronger standing and still shows year-to-year instability in ranking performance.
- Math proficiency fell sharply over the long term and remains well below earlier levels, while reading and language arts proficiency also dropped steeply and then leveled off at a lower baseline. Both subjects show a sustained weaker pattern rather than a return to past performance.
- Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School serves grades 5-8 with 376 students and a 1:18 student-teacher ratio, making it a mid-sized Grant public high school option in Grant, AL.
Quick Facts (2026)
- Grades: 5-8
- Enrollment: 376 students
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 18:1
- Minority Enrollment: 12%
- Overall Testing Rank: Top 50% in AL
- Math Proficiency: 24% (Btm 50%)
- Reading Proficiency: 51% (Top 50%)
- Science Proficiency: 40-44% (Top 50%)
- Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), AL Dept. of Education
School Overview
Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School's student population of 376 students has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
The teacher population of 21 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Grades Offered
Grades 5-8
(No virtual instruction)
(No virtual instruction)
Total Students
376 students
Total Students Trends Over Years shows a long-term rise with a sharp shift around 2011–2013, then a gradual decline since 2016. Enrollment grew from the mid-1990s into the early 2010s, then eased down and has hovered in the high 300s since 2021.
Total Classroom Teachers
21 teachers
Total Classroom Teachers Trends Over Years (1995-2025) was mostly flat, then had a sharp one-time jump in the early 2010s before settling back to a stable level. The count rose from the mid-teens and low 20s to the 40s from 2010 to 2013, then fell back and has hovered around 19 to 22 since 2016.
Year Founded
1924
School Calendar
Campus Size
240 acres
School Motto
children be trained in the knowledge and practice of pure and noble citizenship.
School Rankings
Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School ranks within the top 50% of all 1,275 schools in Alabama (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data).
The diversity score of Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School is 0.22, which is less than the diversity score at state average of 0.64. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Overall Testing Rank
#539 out of 1275 schools
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Overall School Rank Trends Over Years (2012-2023) shows a volatile decline with a sharp drop in 2015–2016, then a partial recovery and renewed slippage by 2023. The school never returns to its earlier stronger ranking, and the post-2016 period is mostly lower and unstable.
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
24%
30%
Math proficiency fell sharply in 2012-2021, then leveled off and only partly recovered through 2023. Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School dropped from very high performance in 2012-2013 to a much lower baseline after 2021, with no return to earlier levels.
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
51%
47%
Reading and Language Arts Proficiency at Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School fell sharply from 2011 to 2016, then partially recovered and leveled off through 2022. The biggest shift was the sudden drop after 2013, with performance settling into a much lower band afterward.
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
40-44%
38%
Student-Teacher Ratio
18:1
17:1
Student-teacher ratio fell sharply from 2015 to 2019, then improved again from 2020 to 2025, so the full timeline shows a volatile pattern with a clearer recent move toward smaller classes.
American Indian
2%
1%
Asian
1%
2%
Hispanic
6%
12%
Black
1%
31%
White
88%
50%
White Student Percentage Comparison Over Years fell sharply from near-universal levels in the late 1990s to the low 90s by 2024, with the biggest shift happening between 2010 and 2018. After that, it leveled off with a modest further dip since 2019.
Two or more races
2%
4%
All Ethnic Groups
Diversity Score Comparison Over Years rose steadily across the full timeline, with the biggest jump from 2012 to 2014 and continued gains through 2025. The school’s diversity score has climbed from very low levels in 2007 to its highest point in 2025, while state and district series are also present.
Chronically Absent Students
(22-23)12.8%
22.6%
Participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
Yes
Eligible for Free Lunch
35%
53%
Free Lunch Eligibility Comparison Over Years is mostly flat for Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School, with a sharp shift in 2019–2020 and then a new, stable level through 2025. School eligibility jumped from the high 30s to the mid-40s, then settled in the mid-30s, so the main story is a one-time change followed by stability.
Eligible for Reduced Lunch
8%
5%
Reduced-Price Lunch Eligibility stayed very low and mostly flat from 2008 to 2024, with a brief spike in 2006–2008 that quickly faded; since 2009 it has hovered around a small, stable level.
School Statewide Testing
School District Name
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), AL Dept. of Education
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School's ranking?
Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School is ranked #539 out of 1,275 schools, which ranks it among the top 50% of public schools in Alabama.
What schools are Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School often compared to?
Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle Schoolis often viewed alongside schools like Guntersville Middle School, Kate D Smith Dar Elementary School by visitors of our site.
What percent of students have achieved state testing proficiency in math and reading?
24% of students have achieved math proficiency (compared to the 30% AL state average), while 51% of students have achieved reading proficiency (compared to the 47% AL state average).
How many students attend Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School?
376 students attend Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School.
What is the racial composition of the student body?
88% of Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School students are White, 6% of students are Hispanic, 2% of students are American Indian, 2% of students are Two or more races, 1% of students are Asian, and 1% of students are Black.
What is the student-teacher ratio of Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School?
Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School has a student ration of 18:1, which is higher than the Alabama state average of 17:1.
What grades does Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School offer ?
Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School offers enrollment in grades 5-8 (No virtual instruction).
What school district is Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School part of?
Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School is part of Marshall County School District.
School Reviews
Review Kate Duncan Smith Dar Middle School. Reviews should be a few sentences in length. Please include any comments on:
- Quality of academic programs, teachers, and facilities
- Availability of music, art, sports and other extracurricular activities
Recent Articles
Media Literacy as a Core Skill: How to Tell if a School Teaches It Well
Learn how to evaluate whether a public school teaches media literacy effectively, from fact-checking and source evaluation to digital citizenship and critical thinking.
Screen Time, Paper Learning, and the New Back-to-Basics Debate
Explore why some public schools are reducing screen time, bringing back paper learning, and rethinking the balance between technology and traditional instruction.
Student Data, AI Tools, and Privacy: Questions to Ask Your District
Learn how public schools use AI, protect student data, and the key privacy questions every parent should ask their school district in 2026.
