Best Public Schools in Zip Code 35217

Zip code 35217, serving the Birmingham and Tarrant areas of Alabama, is home to five schools across three districts—Jefferson County, Tarrant City, and Birmingham City—that collectively educate roughly 2,468 students from pre-K through 12th grade, with a high concentration of economic disadvantage reflected in free/reduced lunch rates between 71% and 79%.

For parents, the standout choice in this area is clearly Fultondale High School, which serves grades 6-12 and is the only school in the zip code to earn a 1-star rating (27th percentile). It leads all local schools with a 90% graduation rate, and its 8th grade science proficiency (42.34%) actually exceeds the district average, while its 6th grade English proficiency (33.91%) is the highest in the area. By contrast, Tarrant High School posts the highest graduation rate in the zip code at 94.3%—above the state average—yet ranks in the 5th percentile academically, with just 1.69% of 11th graders proficient in math. The Tarrant Intermediate School and Tarrant Elementary School both struggle within the 1st-percentile Tarrant City district, while Inglenook School in Birmingham City has seen its ranking collapse from the 17th to the 2nd percentile, with 0% math proficiency in 4th, 7th, and 8th grades.

Across the board, chronic absenteeism is a systemic crisis, with all five schools exceeding the state rate of 12%—Tarrant Elementary School leads at 31.3%, followed closely by Tarrant High School at 30.3%. Notably, Tarrant High School spends the most per student ($11,985) yet achieves the lowest outcomes, while Fultondale High School spends the least ($9,557) and performs best—a paradox suggesting funding alone isn't the answer. Additionally, Fultondale High School shows a dramatic 37-point drop in English proficiency from 8th to 11th grade, and proficiency generally declines as students advance, indicating learning gaps compound over time. For families, Fultondale High School is the clear academic leader, but every school in this zip code faces significant challenges tied to poverty and attendance that require community-wide investment.