Summary:
Zip code 35208 in Birmingham, Alabama, is home to three elementary schools—Central Park Elementary School, Charles A Brown Elementary School, and Princeton School—all serving grades PK-5 within the Birmingham City district, which ranks in the bottom 14th percentile statewide.
The standout in this area is Princeton School, which dramatically outperforms its neighbors. Princeton ranks in the 87th percentile statewide (earning 4 stars), while Charles A Brown Elementary School sits in the 16th percentile and Central Park Elementary School ranks in the 8th percentile with 0 stars. The test score gaps are extreme—in 5th grade math, Princeton's proficiency rate (57%) is nearly 3 times higher than Charles A Brown's (20%) and more than 6 times higher than Central Park's (9%). Princeton also excels in English, with 3rd grade proficiency reaching 88%, far above the state average. Notably, Princeton has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (0.5%) and the lowest student-teacher ratio (13.0), while Central Park has the highest absenteeism (9.5%) and the highest ratio (16.7).
All three schools serve economically diverse populations, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 55% at Princeton to 83% at Charles A Brown. Despite similar per-student spending (roughly $11,000-$12,000), outcomes vary wildly, suggesting factors like school culture and attendance drive success more than funding. Central Park shows a concerning downward trend, dropping from the 22nd to 8th percentile in one year, with declining math scores across all grade levels. For parents, Princeton School is clearly the top choice in this zip code, while the other two schools face significant challenges, particularly in mathematics.
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