Summary:
Zip code 35019 in Baileyton, Alabama, is served by a single school, Parkside Elementary School, a small rural PK-8 campus within the Cullman County district that enrolls 379 students.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that this school shows a remarkable "late bloomer" pattern. While early-grade math scores lag behind state averages—for instance, only 19.51% of 5th graders are proficient in math compared to 39.06% statewide—the school posts a dramatic turnaround by 8th grade, where 48.57% of students are proficient in math versus 26.36% statewide, and 62.86% are proficient in science versus 54.12% statewide. English is a consistent strength across most grades, with 5th grade standing out at 80.49% proficiency. However, be aware of significant year-to-year volatility in scores, likely due to small class sizes where a few students can swing percentages by 20-30 points. The school also has a higher chronic absenteeism rate (13.7%) than the district (10.6%) or state (12.0%), which may impact early-grade learning. With 54.62% of students on free/reduced lunch, the school serves a predominantly low-income population yet still achieves near-state-average performance in several subjects.
The school's overall ranking has slipped slightly from the 51st percentile (3 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 49th percentile (2 stars) in both 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. The student-teacher ratio of 17.1:1 is a bit high for a PK-8 campus, and per-student spending is $11,427. The most notable concern is a "middle school gap" in 5th grade math, where proficiency is roughly half the state average, suggesting a potential instructional challenge at that specific grade level. Ultimately, parents should view this as a school where students who persist through the program tend to achieve strong outcomes by 8th grade, but early-grade math interventions and attendance support may be needed to smooth the path.
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