Summary:
Zip code 35204 in Birmingham, Alabama, is served by a single public high school, Parker High School, which enrolls 942 students in grades 9-12 and operates within the Birmingham City district.
As the only high school in this area, Parker High School is the sole option for local families, and it faces significant challenges. Academic proficiency rates are well below state averages across all subjects. In the 2025-2026 school year, only 12.62% of 11th graders were proficient in math, 14.56% in science, and 13.79% in English, compared to state averages of 27.21%, 36.17%, and 33.73%, respectively. The school's graduation rate is 75.0%, which is 16.5 percentage points below the state average, and its chronic absenteeism rate of 28.0% is more than double the state average of 12.0%. With nearly 80% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, the school serves a predominantly low-income population, and the student-to-teacher ratio is 21.9:1.
Despite these difficulties, there are some positive signs. From 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, math proficiency jumped from 5.19% to 12.62%, and science proficiency rose from 7.55% to 14.56%, suggesting targeted interventions in STEM subjects may be gaining traction. The school's state ranking has also improved slightly, moving from the 15th percentile to the 18th percentile over three years. In the most recent year, Parker actually outperformed its district in math and science, though it lagged in English. For parents, the most pressing concern is the high chronic absenteeism rate, which likely contributes to the academic struggles. While the school shows incremental progress, families should be aware that Parker High School is working against significant socioeconomic and attendance hurdles, and its overall performance remains far below state benchmarks.
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