Bear Exploration Center vs. Forest Avenue Elementary School
Should you attend Bear Exploration Center or Forest Avenue 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.
School Overview
School
Top Rankings
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
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
Overview
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.
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.
Blue Ribbon Schools
Yes
Yes
Grades Offered
K-5
K-5
Total Students
503 students
613 students
% Male | % Female
50% | 50%
49% | 51%
Total Classroom Teachers
29 teachers
39 teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
17:1
16:1
Test Scores
Overall Testing Rank
#63 out of 1275 schools in AL
(Top 5%)
(Top 5%)
#4 out of 1275 schools in AL
(Top 1%)
(Top 1%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
59%
79%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
79%
92%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
65-69%
85-89%
Students by Grade
Students by Grade
Kindergarten Students
78
109
Grade 1 Students
75
109
Grade 2 Students
82
112
Grade 3 Students
84
98
Grade 4 Students
90
85
Grade 5 Students
94
100
Students by Ethnicity
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
n/a
% Asian
5%
37%
% Hispanic
5%
4%
% Black
57%
30%
% White
30%
24%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
5%
Diversity Score
0.59
0.72
Additional Information
Eligible for Free Lunch
13%
14%
Eligible for Reduced Lunch
4%
3%
