NICHE rates Madison City Schools no. 1 in Alabama
NICHE has rated Madison City Schools as the top district in the state. In the photo, students, parent volunteers and teachers work in the outdoor classroom at Madison Elementary School. CONTRIBUTED
Bob Jones High School, Discovery Middle School, James Clemens High School, Liberty Middle School, Madison, Madison County Record, News, Schools, Z - News Main
 By  GreggParker Published 
5:55 pm Thursday, December 29, 2022

NICHE rates Madison City Schools no. 1 in Alabama

MADISON – Reaching top grades across the board, Madison City Schools climbed to the number-one district in the state of Alabama in a recent study.

“Every single one of our schools was in the top 10, out of hundreds of schools statewide,” MCS Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols said. “This is outstanding and the result of true community and MCS districtwide efforts.”

The NICHE firm is a market leader in connecting colleges and schools with students and families. NICHE bases its findings on in-depth profiles of every school and college in America, more than 140 million reviews and ratings.

The report by NICHE placed Madison City Schools as the top system out of 138 school districts statewide. MCS is ranked 57th best of 10,571 school systems nationwide. Individual schools in Madison also rated in superior levels, all in the top tier, in the NICHE report.

The seven MCS elementary schools all landed in the top 10 of the school rankings: Mill Creek at third; Horizon, fourth; Heritage, fifth; Columbia, sixth; Midtown, eighth; Madison elementary; and Rainbow, tenth. Those results originated with 741 elementary schools ranked statewide.

Discovery Middle School placed first, and Liberty Middle School registered as fifth in 397 middle schools ranked statewide. James Clemens High School placed sixth, and Bob Jones High School received ninth out of 365 Alabama high schools.

Nichols said all residents of Madison can be proud of achieving these ratings.

“The straight-A performance by our schools affirms that no matter where one lives in Madison, they are zoned for a quality school,” MCS Public Relations Manager John Peck said.

“Certainly, administrators, teachers and support staff in our schools deserve much of the credit. They are where the learning happens every day,” Nichols said. “It’s also a reflection of the great parents and kids we have in the district and an administrative team and board that continuously looks for ways to improve.”

Nichols also credited the past and current school boards and community leaders for decisions that support an incredible curriculum for all students.

NICHE bases its annual evaluations using state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, SAT/ACT scores, teacher quality and public school and district ratings, along with opinions from parents and students.

For more information, visit niche.com.

Also on The Madison Record
Madison Fire and Rescue names Tyler Drew as ‘2026 Firefighter of the Year’
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
Staff Reports 
January 28, 2026
MADISON – Tyler Drew never really had to choose a career path. He was destined to work in fire service. Drew has earned the honor of “2026 Firefighter...
Bus driver Tommy Jacques commended for emergency actions to help sick child
Madison County Record, News, Schools, ...
Gregg Parker 
January 28, 2026
MADISON – Sometimes, you can find a hero close to home. Even as close as the bus stop for Madison City Schools. Tommy Jacques demonstrated heroic acti...
Wedding bells to ring for Gordon Raney and Mary Starling at Madison Senior Center
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
Gregg Parker 
January 28, 2026
MADISON – It wasn’t quite ‘love at first sight,’ but Gordon Raney and Mary Starling, members of Madison Senior Center, nurtured a bond between themsel...
Lace those running shoes for Heart & Soul 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
Gregg Parker 
January 28, 2026
MADISON – Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14 invokes images of candy kisses, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and greeting cards. In another heart-related eve...
AHSAA approves reclassification system for 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years
Madison County Record, News, Sports, ...
Staff Reports 
January 28, 2026
MONTGOMERY – The Alabama High School Athletic Association Central Board of Control approved a classification system for championship play for the 2026...
College football returns to Joe Davis Stadium; UNA vs. Samford
Madison County Record, News, Sports, ...
Bob Labbe 
January 28, 2026
HUNTSVILLE - Since its multi-million dollar renovations and reopening in 2023, Joe Davis Stadium will host a college football game as it was announced...
UAH women’s basketball wins 16th straight, Wilken reaches 1,000 points
Madison County Record, News, Sports, ...
Staff Reports 
January 28, 2026
HUNTSVILLE - Women’s basketball extended their program-record winning streak to 16 games with a 64–48 victory over Valdosta State on Thursday night at...
Angler holds on to win Lake Guntersville tourney
b-Sports, Madison County Record, News, ...
Bob Labbe 
January 28, 2026
GUNTERSVILLE - When he launched his boat onto Lake Guntersville on a cold Sunday morning, pro Drew Gill of Mount Carmel, Illinois, never considered th...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *