Summary:
Zip code 35160 is home to just one high school, Talladega High School, which serves grades 7 through 12 within the Talladega City school district, enrolling 634 students in a mid-sized, high-poverty community setting.
For parents considering this area, Talladega High School presents a mixed picture. The school maintains a graduation rate of 88.5%, which is close to the state average of 91.5%, and its 8th-grade science proficiency (35.64%) is a relative bright spot. However, the school faces significant academic hurdles, particularly in mathematics. Only 3.96% of 8th graders and 6.9% of 11th graders are proficient in math, compared to state averages of 26.36% and 27.21% respectively—a gap of over 20 percentage points. English proficiency is also below state averages, with 11th graders at 23.26% versus the state's 33.73%. The school's state ranking has declined over three consecutive years, dropping from 264th to 299th out of roughly 380 schools, placing it in the bottom quarter of Alabama high schools.
Several patterns stand out. Academic performance tends to decline as students progress from middle to high school, with 11th-grade scores in both English and science falling well below 8th-grade levels. Chronic absenteeism (13.2%) slightly exceeds the state average, and with nearly 77% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, the school serves a high-need population. Year-over-year test scores show notable volatility, suggesting inconsistent instructional outcomes. Since this is the only high school in the district, there are no alternative public school options within the zip code. While the school is graduating students at a respectable rate, the low proficiency levels on state assessments indicate that many graduates may not be fully prepared for college or career pathways, making math instruction and the transition to high school key areas for improvement.
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