Schools in Zip Code 35040

Zip code 35040 in Calera, AL is served by three public schools within the highly-rated Shelby County district, covering grades K-2, 3-5, and 9-12, though notably lacking a dedicated middle school for grades 6-8.

For parents, the most striking finding is the academic disconnect between the elementary and high school levels. Calera Intermediate School shows genuine strength in English Language Arts, with 5th-grade proficiency (70.75%) nearly matching the state average and approaching the district's high bar. However, by 11th grade at Calera High School, English proficiency plummets to just 24.46%—nearly 10 points below the state average—and math proficiency sits at a concerning 17.65%. This suggests a significant "leak" in the academic pipeline between 5th and 11th grade. Meanwhile, Calera Elementary has the highest chronic absenteeism rate in the area at 16.4%, well above the district (11.0%) and state (12.0%) averages, which is a red flag for early literacy development.

In terms of resources, Calera Elementary spends the most per student ($10,354) yet has the highest student-teacher ratio (18.2), while Calera Intermediate School spends the least ($9,273) but enjoys the best ratio (15.0), likely contributing to its stronger performance. All three schools serve majority low-income populations, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 56.88% at the high school to 67.87% at the intermediate school. A bright spot is Calera High School's 94.6% graduation rate, which exceeds state averages—though this success masks the low test proficiency, raising questions about college and career readiness. The absence of a middle school means students face at least three school transitions before high school, which may be contributing to the academic decline seen in later grades.