Summary:
Schools in zip code 35111 (Mc Calla, AL) serve approximately 3,461 students across four schools—two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school—spanning the Jefferson County and Tuscaloosa County districts.
The standout school in this area is Lake View Elementary School, which earns 2 stars and ranks in the 37th percentile statewide—the highest in the zip code. It leads in English proficiency (up to 68.22% in 5th grade) and has the lowest poverty rate (41.53% free/reduced lunch) and strong attendance (12.1% chronic absenteeism). McAdory Elementary School is a close second, outperforming its district in nearly every subject—4th grade math proficiency is 41.9% versus the district's 28.49%—and boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism (9.7%) in the area. However, the picture darkens significantly at the secondary level. McAdory Middle School sees math proficiency plummet to just 5.51–13.81%, and McAdory High School ranks in the 9th percentile statewide (2024-2025), with only 9.66% of 11th graders proficient in math and a graduation rate of 89.5% (below the state's 91.5%).
The most alarming issue is chronic absenteeism at McAdory High School: 31.6% of students are chronically absent—2.6 times the state average and 3.3 times higher than McAdory Elementary. This likely drives the academic struggles. English is a relative strength across all schools (57–68% proficiency at elementary level), but STEM subjects need urgent intervention. The "middle school slide" is severe, with math proficiency dropping ~70% from elementary to middle school. While per-student spending is consistent ($8,010–$8,839), the data suggests school culture and attendance—not funding—are the key differentiators. Lake View Elementary proves high performance is possible in this area, but the feeder pattern into McAdory Middle and High requires targeted support in math and attendance to reverse the decline.
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