Schools in Zip Code 35115

The zip code 35115, serving the Montevallo area of Alabama, contains 4 schools within the Shelby County district, including one elementary school, two middle schools, and one high school, with a total enrollment of 2,356 students and a predominantly low-income population.

For parents, the standout performer in this area is Montevallo Elementary School, which achieves the strongest academic results despite serving the highest percentage of economically disadvantaged students (81.66% free/reduced lunch). Its 5th-grade English proficiency (76.32%) exceeds both district and state averages, and its 5th-grade math proficiency (44.74%) surpasses the state average. Among the middle schools, Montevallo Middle School excels in 8th-grade science with 60.19% proficiency, a remarkable 15-point improvement from the prior year, while Calera Middle School shows the most significant upward trajectory, with math proficiency improving across all grade levels and science jumping 11 points. Montevallo High School has shown dramatic ranking improvement, rising from the 26th percentile to the 54th percentile over two years, though its 11th-grade English proficiency (25.66%) remains a concern.

A key challenge across all schools is the "middle school slide"—math proficiency drops dramatically from 44.74% in 5th grade to just 18-29% in 6th grade. Chronic absenteeism is also a systemic issue, with all schools exceeding the state average (12.0%), and Montevallo High reaching 17.1%. The two middle schools offer an interesting comparison: Calera Middle (767 students) has higher English scores but lower science scores, while Montevallo Middle (346 students) excels in science but lags in English, despite having a better student-teacher ratio (11.3 vs. 16.8) and higher per-student spending ($12,938 vs. $8,564). Science is a relative strength across the area, with proficiency rates often nearly double math scores. The high school's graduation rate (88.3%) falls below district and state averages, suggesting that literacy interventions and attendance initiatives are critical priorities for this community.