Summary:
Zip code 35224 in Birmingham, Alabama is home to 2 elementary schools serving grades PK-5: Wylam Elementary School and Minor Community School, both serving predominantly low-income student populations in a high-poverty area.
Both schools face significant academic challenges, with proficiency rates well below state averages in nearly every subject and grade level. However, there are notable differences between them. Minor Community School (part of the Jefferson County district) shows a promising upward trajectory in its state ranking over three consecutive years, while Wylam Elementary School (part of the Birmingham City district) is trending downward. Interestingly, Wylam spends significantly more per student ($13,796 vs. $11,201) yet generally performs worse than Minor on most metrics, suggesting spending alone doesn't drive outcomes. Minor also outperforms Wylam in 3rd grade math (27.14% vs. 15.79% proficiency) and 5th grade English (58.62% vs. 42.11%), though both schools struggle most in mathematics, where proficiency rates lag 20-30 points behind state averages.
Both schools show a consistent pattern of stronger performance in English/Language Arts than in math, and both demonstrate dramatic improvement in 5th grade English compared to 4th grade—a possible sign of effective upper-grade literacy instruction. Chronic absenteeism exceeds the state average at both schools (13.9% at Wylam, 14.8% at Minor), though Minor's higher absenteeism hasn't prevented its improving performance. While Wylam exceeds its district average in 4th grade science, Minor trails its district in nearly every subject. For parents, Minor Community School appears to be the stronger choice based on current trends, but both schools face substantial challenges that warrant close attention to student progress and targeted support in mathematics.
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