Summary:
Zip code 35151, serving the Sylacauga, Alabama area, is home to just 2 schools: Fayetteville High School (PK-12) and Pinecrest Elementary School (grades 3-5), offering limited educational options for the roughly 1,000 students in the area.
The standout in this zip code is Fayetteville High School, part of the Talladega County district. Despite its "Alternative" classification, it posts a perfect 100% graduation rate and outperforms state averages in nearly every subject and grade. Its 11th-grade math proficiency (44.19%) is nearly double the district rate, and its 3rd-grade English proficiency (83.33%) is almost 19 points above the state. In contrast, Pinecrest Elementary School, in the Sylacauga City district, shows a mixed profile—its English scores hover near state averages, but it struggles significantly in math, with 4th-grade proficiency dropping to just 20.99%, a 14-point decline from the prior year. Pinecrest's state ranking has also slipped from the 44th to the 36th percentile over three years.
The two schools serve very different student populations, with 62.68% of Pinecrest students eligible for free/reduced lunch versus 37.24% at Fayetteville. Chronic absenteeism is slightly above the state average at Pinecrest (13.4%) but below it at Fayetteville (11.4%). Despite Pinecrest spending slightly more per student ($9,568 vs. $9,158) and having a similar student-teacher ratio, Fayetteville achieves dramatically better outcomes. For parents, this means Fayetteville is the clear academic leader, while Pinecrest may warrant closer attention, particularly regarding math instruction and its declining performance trend.
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