Schools in Zip Code 35131

Zip code 35131 is home to just one school, Ragland High School, an alternative school in Ragland, Alabama, serving grades PK through 12 with 411 students enrolled.

Despite its name, Ragland High School operates as an alternative school within the St Clair County district, which ranks 69th out of 139 districts in Alabama. The school serves a predominantly low-income population, with 67.64% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. The graduation rate stands at 84.6%, slightly below the district's 85.7% and well below the state's 91.5%. A significant concern is the chronic absenteeism rate of 20.1%, which is more than double the district average of 9.9% and substantially higher than the state's 12.0%. The student-teacher ratio is a reasonable 15.5:1, and per-student spending is $11,810.

Academically, the school shows a stark contrast between subjects. English language arts performance is relatively strong, with 4th grade proficiency at 57.14% (near the state's 59.53%) and 8th grade English at 66.67%, actually exceeding both district and state averages. However, mathematics is a critical weakness, particularly in middle school. In the 2025-2026 school year, 7th and 8th grade math proficiency dropped to 0%, while 6th grade math was just 4% compared to the state's 35.22%. High school performance is uniformly low, with 11th grade proficiency at 17.86% across math, science, and English. Year-over-year scores fluctuate dramatically, likely due to small cohort sizes. The elevated chronic absenteeism and economic disadvantage likely contribute to these academic challenges, suggesting that targeted math intervention and attendance improvement programs could help close the significant achievement gaps.