Summary:
In zip code 35234, there is just one elementary school, Norwood Elementary School, which serves grades PK through 5th grade with 261 students in the Birmingham City district, an area where nearly 78% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
For parents considering this school, the most important takeaway is that Norwood is showing real signs of improvement, though it still faces significant challenges. The school's state ranking has more than doubled in two years, moving from the 10th percentile to the 25th percentile, which indicates positive momentum. The standout bright spot is the 3rd grade class, which achieved a remarkable 75% proficiency in math—far exceeding both the district average of 25% and the state average of 45%. English proficiency in 3rd grade (62%) also beats the district average. However, there is a dramatic "4th grade cliff" where proficiency plummets: math drops from 75% to just 15%, and English falls from 62% to 15%. This suggests the school excels at early foundational skills but struggles when the curriculum shifts to more complex, application-based learning.
Another concern is 4th grade science, where only 5.88% of students are proficient, well below the state average of 50%. Chronic absenteeism is also a barrier, with 15.6% of students missing significant school time—higher than both the district (13.1%) and state (12.0%) rates. The student-to-teacher ratio of 18.6 is relatively high, and per-student spending was $11,542. While the 3rd grade results prove the school can achieve high outcomes, the inconsistent year-over-year performance across grades indicates that success is not yet systemic. Parents should view Norwood as a school on the rise, but one where sustained support through the upper elementary grades will be critical for student success.
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