Summary:
Zip code 35034, serving the Brent, Alabama area, contains just one school: Brent Elementary School, a public school within the Bibb County district that serves grades PK-4 with an enrollment of 603 students.
For parents considering this area, Brent Elementary School faces significant academic challenges. The school consistently trails both district and state averages across all subjects, with the widest gaps in mathematics—only about 20-23% of students are proficient in math compared to 42-45% statewide. English proficiency is also concerning, particularly in 3rd grade, where scores plummeted from 55.75% to 41.53% in just one year, a dramatic 14-point decline. The school's state ranking has slipped from the 503rd position to 560th, placing it in the bottom fifth of Alabama schools. Chronic absenteeism is a major red flag, with 23.7% of students missing substantial instructional time—nearly double the state average of 12.0%. With 58.71% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, the school serves a predominantly low-income population, and the combination of high poverty and absenteeism likely contributes to the academic struggles.
There are a few encouraging signs despite the overall picture. Fourth-grade science improved by 3.15 percentage points year-over-year, and 4th-grade English showed modest gains of 2.86 points. The student-teacher ratio of 17.2:1 is reasonable, and per-student spending of $10,018 is moderate. However, the widening math gaps and the sharp decline in early literacy are urgent concerns. The Bibb County district itself underperforms state averages, but this school falls even below its district peers, suggesting school-specific issues need targeted intervention—particularly in early literacy and mathematics—to reverse these troubling trends before they lead to long-term negative outcomes for students.
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