Forest Avenue Elementary School vs. Bear Exploration Center
Should you attend Forest Avenue Elementary School or Bear Exploration Center? 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.
School Overview
School
Top Rankings
Forest Avenue Elementary School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Alabama for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Math Proficiency
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Diversity
Bear Exploration Center ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Alabama for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Math Proficiency
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Diversity
Overview
Forest Avenue Elementary School ranked #4 in Alabama in 2023, maintaining a top 5 state position since 2016 and showing slight decline from #1 rank in years 2011–2016.
Math proficiency was 79% in 2023, higher than the state average of 30%, though it declined from a peak of 99% in 2012–2013; reading proficiency was 92%, higher than the state average of 47%.
Science proficiency ranged between 85% and 89% in 2022, higher than the state average of 38%, showing improvement from 75%–79% in 2021.
Enrollment decreased from 780 students in 1999 to 613 students in 2023, while the student–teacher ratio stayed around 16:1; minority enrollment remained high at 76%.
The school served grades K–5 as a Title I magnet school with 613 students and 39 teachers, with 14% eligible for free lunch and 3% for reduced–price lunch in recent years.
Bear Exploration Center ranked #63 in Alabama in 2023, down from a peak rank of #1 in 2010 and 2011, showing a notable decline in overall state ranking over the past decade.
Math proficiency was 59% in 2023, higher than the state average of 30%, while reading proficiency was 79%, also higher than the state average of 47%, and science proficiency ranged from 65% to 69%, exceeding the state average of 38%.
Minority enrollment accounted for approximately 70% of the 503 students enrolled from kindergarten through grade 5, with stable enrollment around 510 students and a student–teacher ratio near 18:1 in recent years.
Free or reduced–price lunch eligibility remained relatively low, around 17% combined in 2023, indicating a smaller proportion of socioeconomically disadvantaged students compared to many Title–I schools.
As a magnet school in Montgomery, AL, Bear Exploration Center offered a diverse curriculum including cultural arts, music, technology, and career–technical education, supporting a broad range of student interests.
Blue Ribbon Schools
Yes
Yes
Grades Offered
K-5
K-5
Total Students
613 students
503 students
% Male | % Female
49% | 51%
50% | 50%
Total Classroom Teachers
39 teachers
29 teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
17:1
Test Scores
Overall Testing Rank
#4 out of 1275 schools in AL
(Top 1%)
(Top 1%)
#63 out of 1275 schools in AL
(Top 5%)
(Top 5%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
79%
59%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
92%
79%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
85-89%
65-69%
Students by Grade
Students by Grade
Kindergarten Students
109
78
Grade 1 Students
109
75
Grade 2 Students
112
82
Grade 3 Students
98
84
Grade 4 Students
85
90
Grade 5 Students
100
94
Students by Ethnicity
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
n/a
% Asian
37%
5%
% Hispanic
4%
5%
% Black
30%
57%
% White
24%
30%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
3%
Diversity Score
0.72
0.59
Additional Information
Eligible for Free Lunch
14%
13%
Eligible for Reduced Lunch
3%
4%
