Summary:
Zip code 35068 is served by a single public elementary school, Fultondale Elementary School, which enrolls 889 students in grades PK through 5 and is part of the Jefferson County school district.
For parents considering this area, the most important takeaway is that Fultondale Elementary School is a large school with a majority of students (65%) qualifying for free or reduced lunch, indicating significant economic need. Academically, the school consistently trails both district and state averages in every subject and grade level. Mathematics is a particular area of concern, with proficiency rates ranging from just 12.5% in 5th grade to 21.6% in 3rd grade, compared to state averages of 39-45%. English scores are stronger but still below average, ranging from 36.49% in 4th grade to 54.41% in 5th grade. Science proficiency in 4th grade is also low at 20.95% versus the state average of 50.23%. The school's state ranking has fluctuated, improving slightly from the 2024-2025 school year (597th) to 2025-2026 (587th), but remains well below its 2023-2024 ranking of 512th.
On a positive note, chronic absenteeism is a clear strength, with a rate of just 9.3%—significantly better than the district average of 16.9% and the state average of 12.0%. This means students are consistently attending school, providing a solid foundation for learning. However, the student-teacher ratio of 20.4:1 is relatively high, which may limit individualized attention. Per-student spending was $10,126 in 2018-2019, though without comparison data it is hard to judge adequacy. A key trend is that proficiency declines as students progress from 3rd to 5th grade in both math and English, suggesting learning gaps widen over time. This points to a critical need for targeted math intervention and intensive support in the upper elementary grades to help students catch up and succeed.
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