Handley Middle School

Handley Middle School is a middle school of mid-tier scale in Roanoke, Alabama, part of Roanoke City, enrolling 483 students in grades 4 through 8.

Roanoke City comprises 3 schools with combined enrollment of 1,355 students; Handley Middle School is among them.

On the student-mix side, Handley Middle School lists that the largest single group is White, at 58% of enrollment. The remainder consists of 38% Black. The wider county runs roughly 76% White, putting the school's mix noticeably less White than the area baseline.

On the resource side, Handley Middle School records 28 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 17.6:1. The state averages about 17.9:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. About 69% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Handley Middle School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 33.7%; this one delivers 38.7%.

In the area at large, Randolph County reports that the typical household earns roughly $52,338 per year, roughly 18% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 15%. In all, Randolph County runs 12 public schools (combined enrollment of about 3,444 students), of which Handley Middle School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Knight Enloe Elementary School, around 1.2 miles off. Within five miles, there are 3 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Handley Middle School at 7th of 9; the average score across the group is 40.2%.

The school occupies a rural site.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count fell 14%: 562 students in 2018 compared to 483 in 2025. Black enrollment moved from 43% to 38% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 21.6:1 in 2018 to 17.6:1 today.

On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.