Schools in Zip Code 35022

Zip code 35022 in Bessemer, Alabama, is served by five schools—three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school—that collectively educate roughly 2,290 students across three different districts: Bessemer City, Jefferson County, and Empower Schools of Alabama.

McCalla Elementary School is the clear standout in this area, ranking in the 42nd percentile statewide and earning 2 stars—the only school in the zip code to earn more than 1 star. Its English proficiency rates (48-79%) are roughly two to four times higher than those at Westhills Elementary School (10-40%) and significantly better than Greenwood Elementary School (35-58%). McCalla also has the lowest poverty rate (54.4% free/reduced lunch) and the largest enrollment (752 students). At the other end of the spectrum, Bessemer City High School faces a crisis-level situation with just 5.4% math proficiency, 8.6% English proficiency, a 41.7% chronic absenteeism rate (3.5 times the state average), and a graduation rate of 85.5%—well below the state's 91.5%. Empower Community School Upper Campus, a newer middle school, shows near-zero math scores (0-6%) but more competitive English (26-43%) and science (22-27%) results.

Notably, the two lowest-performing elementary schools—Greenwood and Westhills—actually have the lowest chronic absenteeism rates (7.1% and 5.5%), while higher-performing McCalla has a higher rate (10.6%), suggesting absenteeism isn't the main driver of the achievement gap. Westhills spends the most per student ($14,067) yet ranks in the 1st percentile, proving funding alone doesn't guarantee results. Greenwood, however, shows a positive trajectory, improving its ranking from 657th to 558th over three years with notable gains in 3rd-grade English (33.3% to 52.5%). With 72-80% of students at four of the five schools qualifying for free/reduced lunch, this zip code reflects concentrated poverty, making McCalla's success a proof point that strong outcomes are achievable in this community.