Hillcrest High School

Hillcrest High School in Evergreen, AL, is a small public high school serving 290 students in grades 9-12, and it is part of the Conecuh County district.

For parents, the most important thing to know is that Hillcrest is facing serious academic challenges. On state tests, only about 3% of 11th graders were proficient in math, compared to a 27% state average. Science and English proficiency rates are also well below state averages, at 18% and 13% respectively. This means most students are not meeting grade-level academic standards in core subjects. Another major concern is chronic absenteeism—37% of students miss enough school to be considered chronically absent, which is three times higher than the state average of 12%. This pattern of missed school is likely a big factor behind the low test scores. While the school's graduation rate of 88.8% is close to the state's 91.5%, it's important to note that graduating doesn't necessarily mean students have mastered the material, given the very low proficiency rates.

There are a few other things worth noting. Hillcrest's performance has been declining for three straight years, with its state ranking dropping from the 30th percentile to the 12th percentile. The school's chronic absenteeism is also a stark outlier even within its own district—the district average is just 12.6%, meaning Hillcrest's rate is nearly triple that of other schools in Conecuh County. On a more positive note, the school's African American students have performed relatively better as a subgroup, ranking in the 46th percentile statewide. However, given the overall downward trend and the urgent need to address both attendance and academic achievement, parents should be aware that Hillcrest is a school in need of significant improvement and support.