Summary:
Zip code 35085 is home to just one high school, Jemison High School, a mid-sized school serving grades 9-12 with 702 students in the Chilton County district.
For parents considering this area, Jemison High School is a school showing clear signs of positive momentum, though it still faces notable challenges. The most encouraging news is the dramatic improvement in English proficiency, which jumped from 17.71% to 25.52% in just one year—a 44% relative gain. Science proficiency also improved to 31.13%, which actually exceeds the district average of 28.18%. The school's overall state ranking has climbed from the 25th percentile in 2023-24 to the 42nd percentile in 2025-26, reflecting these academic gains. However, mathematics remains a persistent weakness, with only 15.23% of students proficient—nearly 12 points below the state average of 27.21%—and showing no improvement over the past two years.
On the positive side, Jemison High School boasts a graduation rate of 92.0%, which beats both the district (90.1%) and state (91.5%) averages, suggesting strong student support systems. The school serves a predominantly low-income population, with 67.38% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and operates with a relatively high student-teacher ratio of 21.8:1. Chronic absenteeism (10.6%) is better than the state average but worse than the district average of 8.3%. While test scores in math and English still trail state averages, the school's upward trajectory in English and science, combined with its strong graduation rate, indicates that recent interventions are working and the school is moving in the right direction for families seeking a community-focused high school.
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