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Autauga County, Alabama

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Autauga County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census the population was 58,805.[2] Its county seat is Prattville.[3]

Autauga County
County
Autauga County Courthouse in Prattville
Autauga County Courthouse in Prattville
Official seal of Autauga County
Seal
Official logo of Autauga County
Logo
Map of Alabama highlighting Autauga County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°32′12″N 86°38′54″W / 32.5367°N 86.6483°W / 32.5367; -86.6483
Country United States
State Alabama
FoundedNovember 21, 1818
SeatPrattville
Largest cityPrattville
Area
[1]
 • Total
604 sq mi (1,560 km2)
 • Land594 sq mi (1,540 km2)
 • Water10 sq mi (30 km2)  1.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
58,805
 • Estimate 
(2023)
60,342 Increase
 • Density97/sq mi (38/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.autaugaco.org
  • County Number 04 on Alabama Licence Plates

Autauga County is part of the Montgomery metropolitan area.

History

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Autauga County was established on November 21, 1818, by an act of the Alabama Territorial Legislature (one year before Alabama was admitted as a State). As established, the county included present-day Autauga County, as well as Elmore County and Chilton County. At the time, Autauga (aka, Tawasa) Indians lived here. They were concentrated at Atagi (meaning "pure water") village situated on the banks of a creek by the same name (called "Pearl Water Creek" by settlers); it is a tributary of the Alabama River. Other scholars suggest the Creek word atigi, meaning "border," as the source of the name Autauga.[4]

The Autauga were a band of the Alibamu tribe, and named after their geographic location. The Alibamu eventually were absorbed into the Creek Confederacy. During Andrew Jackson's invasion of the area during the Creek War, as part of the War of 1812, the Autaga sent many warriors to resist. The county was part of the territory ceded in 1814 by the Creek Confederacy in the Treaty of Fort Jackson.

The territorial legislature designated the first county seat as Jackson's Mill, but the court met there only briefly, choosing to select a permanent seat at Washington. The new county seat was built on the former site of Atagi village in the southeast corner of the county. With population growth more in the west of the county, the county seat was moved to a more central location at Kingston in 1830. Losing business and residents to the new county seat, the town of Washington dwindled until it was completely deserted by the late 1830s.

Daniel Pratt arrived in Autauga County in 1833 and founded the new town of Prattville, north of Atagi on the fall line of Autauga Creek. His cotton gin factory quickly became the largest manufacturer of gins in the world; it was the first major industry in Alabama.

Pratt financially backed the recruitment at his factory of men for the Prattville Dragoons, a fighting unit for the Confederacy. It was organized in anticipation of the Civil War. Other units formed in Autauga County included the Autauga Rifles (Autaugaville), The John Steele Guards (western Autauga Co.) and the Varina Rifles (northern Autauga Co.). None of the fighting of the Civil War reached Autauga County. Pratt was able to secure payment of debts from Northern accounts soon after the war, lessening the disabling effects of the Reconstruction period in the county.

Immediately after emancipation in early 1863, Charles Atwood, a freedman who had formerly been enslaved by Daniel Pratt, bought a house in the center of Prattville. He became one of the founding investors in Pratt's South and North Railroad. It was exceptional for an African American to become so economically successful and prominent, and to own land in an Alabama city in this period.[citation needed]

In 1866 and 1868, the legislature established Elmore and Chilton counties from Autauga County. The county seat was newly designated as Prattville, which was the population center of the redefined jurisdiction. A new courthouse was completed there in 1870 by local builder George L. Smith. In 1906, a new and larger courthouse was erected a block north; it was designed in a modified Richardsonian Romanesque style. The building was designed by Bruce Architectural Co. of Birmingham and built by Dobson & Bynum of Montgomery.

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 604 square miles (1,560 km2), of which 594 square miles (1,540 km2) is land and 10 square miles (26 km2) (1.6%) is water.[5][1] The county is mostly located in the Gulf Coastal Plain region, with a few rolling hills and forests due to its close proximity to the fall line of the eastern United States.[6]

Climate

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The county has a prevailing humid subtropical climate dominated by its location in the Southern Plains ecological sub-region of the United States.[7]

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18203,853—
183011,874208.2%
184014,34220.8%
185015,0234.7%
186016,73911.4%
187011,623−30.6%
188013,10812.8%
189013,3301.7%
190017,91534.4%
191020,03811.9%
192018,908−5.6%
193019,6944.2%
194020,9776.5%
195018,186−13.3%
196018,7393.0%
197024,46030.5%
198032,25931.9%
199034,2226.1%
200043,67127.6%
201054,57125.0%
202058,8057.8%
2023 (est.)60,342[8]2.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11]
1990–2000[12] 2010–2020[2]

2020 census

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Autauga County, Alabama – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[13] Pop 2010[14] Pop 2020[15] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 34,823 42,154 41,582 79.74% 77.25% 70.71%
Black or African American alone (NH) 7,428 9,595 11,352 17.01% 17.58% 19.30%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 186 217 184 0.43% 0.40% 0.31%
Asian alone (NH) 194 467 873 0.44% 0.86% 1.48%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 12 22 22 0.03% 0.04% 0.04%
Other race alone (NH) 44 45 185 0.10% 0.08% 0.31%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 374 761 2,490 0.86% 1.39% 4.23%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 610 1,310 2,117 1.40% 2.40% 3.60%
Total 43,671 54,571 58,805 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 58,805 people, 21,397 households, and 15,076 families residing in the county.

2010 census

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As of the census[16] of 2010, there were 54,571 people, 20,221 households, and 15,064 families residing in the county. The population density was 91 people per square mile (35 people/km2). There were 22,135 housing units at an average density of 36 units per square mile (14 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 78.5% White, 17.7% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 1.6% from two or more races. 2.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 20,221 households, out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68, and the average family size was 3.13.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 27% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $53,682, and the median income for a family was $66,349. Males had a median income of $49,743 versus $32,592 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,571. About 8.3% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

In 2000, the largest denominational groups were Evangelical Protestants (with 18,893 adherents) and Mainline Protestants (with 3,657 adherents).[17] The largest religious bodies were The Southern Baptist Convention (with 14,727 members) and The United Methodist Church (with 3,305 members).[17]

Education

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Autauga County contains one public school district. There are approximately 9,000 students in public K-12 schools in Autauga County.[18]

Districts

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School districts include:[19]

Government

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United States presidential election results for Autauga County, Alabama[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 20,484 72.43% 7,439 26.30% 358 1.27%
2020 19,838 71.44% 7,503 27.02% 429 1.54%
2016 18,172 72.77% 5,936 23.77% 865 3.46%
2012 17,379 72.49% 6,363 26.54% 231 0.96%
2008 17,403 73.61% 6,093 25.77% 145 0.61%
2004 15,196 75.67% 4,758 23.69% 127 0.63%
2000 11,993 69.69% 4,942 28.72% 273 1.59%
1996 9,509 61.66% 5,015 32.52% 898 5.82%
1992 8,715 55.92% 4,819 30.92% 2,051 13.16%
1988 7,828 67.17% 3,667 31.47% 159 1.36%
1984 8,350 70.07% 3,366 28.25% 201 1.69%
1980 6,292 56.87% 4,295 38.82% 476 4.30%
1976 4,512 48.32% 4,640 49.69% 186 1.99%
1972 5,367 75.17% 1,593 22.31% 180 2.52%
1968 606 7.79% 1,553 19.97% 5,617 72.24%
1964 2,969 85.83% 0 0.00% 490 14.17%
1960 1,149 45.27% 1,324 52.17% 65 2.56%
1956 857 37.47% 1,161 50.77% 269 11.76%
1952 787 34.10% 1,505 65.21% 16 0.69%
1948 110 8.55% 0 0.00% 1,176 91.45%
1944 117 8.58% 1,242 91.06% 5 0.37%
1940 99 5.69% 1,630 93.62% 12 0.69%
1936 84 5.19% 1,525 94.31% 8 0.49%
1932 138 9.37% 1,322 89.75% 13 0.88%
1928 683 43.61% 883 56.39% 0 0.00%
1924 146 15.30% 781 81.87% 27 2.83%
1920 210 18.44% 918 80.60% 11 0.97%
1916 99 11.15% 773 87.05% 16 1.80%
1912 43 5.07% 622 73.35% 183 21.58%
1908 97 12.90% 655 87.10% 0 0.00%
1904 73 8.95% 733 89.83% 10 1.23%
1900 537 34.36% 980 62.70% 46 2.94%

The sheriff of Autauga County is Mark Harrell (R). The Revenue Commissioner for the county is Kathy Evans (R), the Probate Judge is Kim Kervin (R), the Circuit Clerk is Deb Hill (R), the Circuit Judge is Ben Fuller (R), the District Attorney is Randall Houston (R) and the District Judge is Joy Booth (R).[21]

The legislature is the county commission which consists of five members all of whom are elected from single member districts. The current Commissioners are:[22]

  • District 1: Rusty Jacksland, Republican
  • District 2: John L. Thrailkill, Republican
  • District 3: Bill Tatum, Republican
  • District 4: Jay Thompson, Republican - Chairman
  • District 5: Larry Stoudemire, Democratic

Like much of the Southern U.S., Autauga County was historically a Democratic stronghold, voting for the party's presidential nominee in every election between 1880 and 1960. However, the county has switched in affiliation to the Republican Party over the past 50 years. The last Democrat to win the county in a presidential election is Jimmy Carter, who won it by a plurality in 1976.

Emergency Services

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Fire protection in Autauga County is provided by several local fire departments.

Emergency Medical Services are provided by Haynes Ambulance, with the exception of the city of Prattville, where the Prattville Fire Department staffs Ambulances.

Law enforcement agencies are the Autauga County Sheriffs Office and the Prattville Police Department.

Education

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The Autauga County School System is the county's sole public school system.[23]

East Memorial Christian Academy is located in an unincorporated area of the county, near Prattville.[24]

Places of interest

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Autauga County is home to several parks, such as Wilderness Park, Cooters Pond Park, Pratt Park, Swift Creek Park, Newton Park, Spinners Park, Heritage Park, and Overlook Memorial Park.

Communities

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Cities

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Towns

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Census-designated place

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Unincorporated communities

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Ghost town

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County subdivisions

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Historical census county divisions of Autauga County
 
Approximate divisions used in the 1850 and 1860 censuses. The white dotted line represents the current county boundary.
 
Approximate divisions used in the 1930 census. Similar to those used from 1900 to 1940.
 
Approximate divisions used in the 1950 census.
 
Current divisions as of the 2020 census, in use since at least 1990.

The United States Census Bureau divides counties into county subdivisions. In Autauga County, these are currently in to form of census county divisions. The county's historical subdivisions and their populations in the decennial censuses are as follows:

1850–1880

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Subdivision 1850
[25] 		1860
[25] 		1870
[25] 		1880
[26]
Beat 1, Prattville 672 3,260 3,675 4,236
[CoSub 1]
Beat 2, Autaugaville 82 2,119 2,387 2,385
Beat 3, Mulberry 1,366 1,598 1,551 1,764
Beat 4, Milton 1,393 1,125 1,595 2,030
Beat 5, Independence 1,270 800 1,137 1,102
[CoSub 1]
Beat 6, Kingston (1850–1870)
Beat 6, Pine Flat (1880)		 351 1,960 1,278 1,591
[CoSub 1]
Undefined 9,889
[CoSub 2]		 5,887
[CoSub 2]		 — —
County total 15,023
[CoSub 2]		 16,739
[CoSub 2]		 11,623 13,108

1890–1950

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Subdivision 1890
[28] 		1900
[29] 		1910
[30] 		1920
[31] 		1930
[32] 		1940
[33] 		1950
[34]
Precinct 1, Prattville 3,143 4,679 5,745 5,102 5,838 7,272 8,550
[CoSub 3]
Precinct 2, Washington 1,037 1,611 1,552 1,457 1,284 860 —
[CoSub 3]
Precinct 3, Autaugaville 2,025 2,273 2,257 2,411 2,405 1,904 1,641
Precinct 4, Mulberry 1,318 1,211 1,193 1,080 1,260 1,182 652
Precinct 5, Days Bend 448 499 391 343 308 480 —
[CoSub 4]
Precinct 6, Milton 1,231 972
[CoSub 5]		 781 704 695 835 401
Precinct 7, Bethel 639 1,061 1,247 1,141 991 946 808
Precinct 8, Big Springs
(including Billingsley)		 360 841 1,452 1,258 1,421 1,737 1,253
Precinct 9, Independence 892 1,228 1,154 1,265 1,023 1,592 1,125
Precinct 10, Liberty 1,235 1,804 2,095 1,964 2,628 1,927 1,993
Precinct 11, Mountain Creek 1,002 961 1,340 1,290 1,340 1,978 1,101
Precinct 12, Statesville — 775
[CoSub 5]		 831 893 501 264 662
[CoSub 4]
County total 13,330 17,915 20,038 18,908 19,694 20,977 18,186

1960–present

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Subdivision 1960
[35] 		1970
[36] 		1980
[37] 		1990
[38] 		2000
[39] 		2010
[40] 		2020
[41]
Autaugaville CCD 3,354 2,876 3,163 2,983 2,982 3,320 3,185
Billingsley CCD 2,131 1,952 2,172 2,282 2,677 2,894 2,645
Marbury CCD 2,476 2,198 2,835 3,590 4,629 5,675 6,359
Prattville CCD 10,778 17,434 24,089 25,367 33,383 42,682 46,616
County total 18,739 24,460 32,259 34,222 43,671 54,571 58,805

County subdivision notes

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  1. ^ a b c In 1871, Beats 1 and 5 added parts of Beat 6, which was renamed.[26]
  2. ^ a b c d Includes population from areas lost to Elmore County in 1866 and Baker (Chilton) County in 1868–1869.[27]
  3. ^ a b Precinct 2 was annexed to Precinct 1 prior to the 1940 census, but were returned separately until the 1950 census.[34]
  4. ^ a b Precinct 5 was annexed to Precinct 12 prior to the 1940 census, but were returned separately until the 1950 census.[34]
  5. ^ a b Precinct 12 was split from Precinct 6 prior to the 1900 census.[29]

Notable people

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "2019 Gazetteer Files for Counties: Alabama" (text). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ Read, William A. (1984). Indian Places Names in Alabama (2nd ed.). Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press. p. 6. ISBN 9780817302313. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  6. ^ "Autauga County". Encyclopedia of Alabama.
  7. ^ United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Ecoregions and Subregions of the United States, compiled and edited by W. Henry McNab and Robert G. Bailey, U. S. Government Printing Office, 1994.
  8. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  9. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  10. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  11. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  12. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  13. ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Autauga County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Autauga County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  15. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Autauga County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  16. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  17. ^ a b "County Membership Reports". thearda.com. Archived from the original on July 12, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
  18. ^ "Search for Public School Districts - Autauga County, AL". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  19. ^ "2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Autauga County, AL" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 28, 2022. Text list.
  20. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  21. ^ "Autauga County: Elected Officials". www.autaugaco.org. Archived from the original on February 10, 2020. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  22. ^ "Autauga County: Commissioners". www.autaugaco.org. Archived from the original on February 10, 2020. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  23. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Autauga County, AL" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 31, 2022. - Text list
  24. ^ "Home Archived August 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine." East Memorial Christian Academy. Retrieved on August 3, 2013. "1320 Old Ridge Road Prattville, Alabama 36066"
  25. ^ a b c Ninth Census: The Statistics of the Population of the United States. Vol. 1. 1872. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  26. ^ a b Statistics of the Population of the United States at the Tenth Census. 1883. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  27. ^ "Alabama: Individual County Chronologies". The Newberry Library. 2007.
  28. ^ Report on the Population of the United States at the Eleventh Census. Vol. 1. 1895. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  29. ^ a b Twelfth Census of the United States: Population, part 1. Vol. 1. 1901. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  30. ^ Thirteenth Census of the United States: Population by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. 1912. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  31. ^ Fourteenth Census of the United States: Population. Vol. 1. 1921. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  32. ^ Fifteenth Census of the United States: Population. Vol. 1. 1931. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  33. ^ Sixteenth Census of the United States: Population. Vol. 1. 1942. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  34. ^ a b c A Report of the Seventeenth Decennial Census of the United States: Census of Population. Vol. 1. 1952. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  35. ^ 1960 Census of Population: Advance Reports: Final Population Counts. Vol. 1. 1960. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  36. ^ 1970 Census of Population: Characteristics of the Population: Number of Inhabitants. Vol. 1. 1972. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  37. ^ 1980 Census of Population and Housing: Final Population and Housing Unit Counts. 1981. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  38. ^ 1990 Census of Population and Housing: Summary Population and Housing Characteristics: Alabama. 1991. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  39. ^ "DP1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000". United States Census Bureau.
  40. ^ "P1: Total Population: 2010". United States Census Bureau.
  41. ^ "P1: Race: 2020". United States Census Bureau.
  42. ^ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
  43. ^ "School History". Lanier High School. Jackson (MS) Public Schools. Retrieved October 20, 2017. Lanier was first organized as a junior-senior high school in 1925 providing instruction for pupils from the seventh through the twelfth grades.
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