Summary:
Zip code 35064 is home to 2 elementary schools—Glen Oaks Intermediate School (grades 3-5) and Robinson Primary School (grades K-2)—both part of the Fairfield City district, which ranks in the bottom 6% of Alabama districts. Together, these schools serve about 513 students in a high-poverty area, with 86-89% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
Robinson Primary School stands out for its exceptional attendance record, with a chronic absenteeism rate of just 0.9%—13 times better than the state average of 12% and 4 times better than its own district average. This is a remarkable achievement for a school serving its youngest learners. Glen Oaks Intermediate School, meanwhile, is the academic bellwether for the area, and it is clearly on the rise. Over the past two years, Glen Oaks has improved its state ranking by 85 positions, moving from the 8th to the 21st percentile, and earned its first star rating. Six of seven tested subject areas improved year-over-year, with standout gains in 4th grade math (+9.5 points) and 3rd grade English (+9.2 points).
However, challenges remain. Glen Oaks trails state averages in every subject, with the widest gap in 4th grade science (21.1% vs. 50.2% statewide). There is also a troubling pattern of declining proficiency as students advance in grade—math drops from 30.2% in 3rd grade to 21.9% in 5th grade, and English falls sharply from 58.1% in 3rd grade to 36.6% in 4th grade. Notably, Robinson receives about $2,153 more per student than Glen Oaks ($12,020 vs. $9,867), which may reflect the higher costs of early childhood education. For parents, the key takeaway is that while both schools face significant headwinds, Robinson's attendance success and Glen Oaks' steady academic improvement offer genuine bright spots worth building on.
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