Best Public Schools in Zip Code 35126

The five public schools in zip code 35126 (Pinson, AL) serve students from elementary through high school, all within the Jefferson County district, which ranks in the bottom third of Alabama districts.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that academic proficiency across this area is well below state averages, but there are notable bright spots. Kermit Johnson School is the clear standout among the elementary schools, with the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the zip code (9.2% vs. 12.0% state average) and the strongest test scores, including 5th-grade English proficiency at 56.63% and 4th-grade science that actually exceeds the district average. In contrast, Pinson Elementary School has a much higher absenteeism rate (15.0%) and lower proficiency despite serving a similar demographic profile. At the secondary level, Pinson Valley High School stands out for its 90.8% graduation rate, nearly matching the state average, even though only 11.79% of 11th graders are proficient in English. Clay-Chalkville High School shows similarly low proficiency (9.15% in 11th-grade English) but a slightly lower graduation rate. Rudd Middle School reveals a significant math slump, with proficiency under 12% across all grades, though 7th-grade English proficiency (43.46%) approaches the district average.

Chronic absenteeism is a major concern, especially at the high schools where rates exceed 30%—more than double the state average. Poverty is widespread, with 58.7% to 71.3% of students receiving free/reduced lunch. Encouragingly, both Kermit Johnson School and Rudd Middle School showed year-over-year improvement in nearly every subject from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, suggesting targeted interventions may be gaining traction despite the challenging socioeconomic context.