Summary:
Zip code 35207 in Birmingham, Alabama, is served by a single public high school, George Washington Carver High School, which enrolls 570 students in grades 9 through 12 and is part of the Birmingham City school district.
For parents considering this area, the most important takeaway is that George Washington Carver High School shows a striking contrast between strong student engagement and very low academic test scores. On the positive side, the school boasts a graduation rate of 91.5%, which matches the state average and far exceeds its district's rate of 80.9%. Additionally, chronic absenteeism is a notable strength at just 9.1%, which is better than both the district (13.1%) and state (12.0%) averages, suggesting students are consistently showing up to class. The school also maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 14.6:1 and spends a substantial $14,794 per student.
However, academic proficiency is critically low and declining rapidly. In 11th grade, only 0.95% of students are proficient in mathematics, 1.90% in science, and 6.25% in English—all dramatically below state averages of 27.21%, 36.17%, and 33.73%, respectively. The math proficiency rate is 28 times lower than the state average. Worse, scores fell sharply in just one year, with science proficiency dropping from 9.46% to 1.90% and English falling from 12.77% to 6.25%. The school's statewide ranking has plummeted from the 14th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 2nd percentile in 2025-2026. This disconnect between high graduation rates and extremely low test scores, combined with adequate resources and good attendance, points to serious instructional or curriculum challenges that need urgent attention.
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