Summary:
Zip code 35224 in Birmingham, AL is served by two elementary schools—Wylam Elementary School and Minor Community School—which together educate about 783 students in grades PK-5, with no middle or high schools in the immediate area.
For parents comparing the two schools, Minor Community School is the stronger choice academically. It consistently outperforms Wylam Elementary School in state rankings, sitting at the 14th percentile statewide compared to Wylam's 7th percentile for 2025-2026. Minor Community also benefits from being in the higher-ranked Jefferson County district (27th percentile) versus Birmingham City (14th percentile). Interestingly, Wylam actually spends more per student ($13,796 vs. $11,201) yet still lags behind, suggesting that extra funding isn't translating into better results. Both schools serve high-poverty populations (74-78% free/reduced lunch) and struggle with chronic absenteeism above the state average, though Minor Community's rate is actually better than its district's average.
Both schools share a notable pattern: English Language Arts is a relative strength, especially in 5th grade, where proficiency reaches 53-59%—far exceeding their math scores. Mathematics is the critical weakness, with some grade levels falling to just 10.5% proficiency compared to state averages of 39-45%. Year-to-year scores are volatile at both schools, which may reflect high student mobility or small class sizes. For parents, Minor Community School offers more stable, slightly better performance, while Wylam Elementary School has shown a recent decline in its state ranking. The 5th grade English spike at both schools is a promising foundation, but math intervention and attendance improvement should be priorities for families considering either school.
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