Should you attend Forest Hills School or Harlan Elementary School? Visitors to our site frequently compare these two schools. Compare their rankings, test scores, reviews and more to help you determine which school is the best choice for you.
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.
Harlan Elementary School, a Florence public elementary school serving grades PK–4, ranked #604 in Alabama in 2023, improving from #862 in 2021 but declining from top 50 rankings in early 2010s.
Math proficiency ranged between 35–39%, higher than the state average of about 30%, while reading proficiency was 30–34%, lower than the state average near 47%, and science proficiency was 15–19%, also lower than the state average around 38%.
Enrollment declined slightly from 423 students in 2022 to 402 in 2023, with minority enrollment steady at 69%; 86% of students were eligible for free lunch, indicating a high proportion of economically disadvantaged students.
The school maintained a student–teacher ratio of 13:1 with 389 students and about 30 teachers, supporting a relatively low ratio ranked in the top 5% statewide.
Graduation rates consistently exceeded the state average, with 94% in 2023 compared to Alabama's 88%, reflecting successful student outcomes beyond elementary grades in the district.
Blue Ribbon Schools
Yes
-
Grades Offered
PK-4
PK-4
Total Students
827 students
389 students
% Male | % Female
53% | 47%
54% | 46%
Total Classroom Teachers
55 teachers
30 teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
13:1
<Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ class="so-dt-title">Test Scores
Overall Testing Rank
#126 out of 1275 schools in AL (Top 10%)
#604 out of 1275 schools in AL (Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
54%
(Top 20% in AL)
35-39%
(Top 30% in AL)
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
69%
(Top 20% in AL)(21-22 School Year Data)
30-34%
(Bottom 50% in AL)(21-22 School Year Data)
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
55-59%
(Top 20% in AL)(21-22 School Year Data)
15-19%
(Bottom 50% in AL)(21-22 School Year Data)
<Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ class="so-dt-title">Students by Grade
Students by Grade
Kindergarten Students
187
73
Grade 1 Students
178
86
Grade 2 Students
161
92
Grade 3 Students
157
78
Grade 4 Students
144
60
<Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ class="so-dt-title">Students by Ethnicity
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
1%
% Hispanic
6%
4%
% Black
18%
45%
% White
64%
31%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
11%
19%
Diversity Score
0.55
0.67
<Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ class="so-dt-title">Additional Information
