Summary:
Zip code 35405 in Tuscaloosa, AL, is served by a single public high school, Hillcrest High School, which enrolls 1,434 students across grades 9-12 and is part of the Tuscaloosa County school district.
For parents considering Hillcrest High School, the most encouraging news is a strong graduation rate of 93.1%, which beats both the district (92.4%) and state (91.5%) averages. However, this positive metric is tempered by a chronic absenteeism rate of 19.1%—far above the district's 11.8% and state's 12.0%—meaning nearly one in five students misses significant school days. Academically, the school shows a remarkable "science surge": proficiency in science jumped an extraordinary 18.3 percentage points in one year, from 19.36% to 37.66%, now slightly exceeding the state average of 36.17%. Math and English also improved (to 23.05% and 25.25% proficiency, respectively), but both still trail state averages (27.21% and 33.73%). The school's overall state ranking improved dramatically from 229th to 164th, though this appears heavily driven by the science gains rather than broad-based improvement.
About half of the student body (50.07%) qualifies for free or reduced lunch, indicating moderate economic disadvantage. The student-teacher ratio is 18.1:1, which is relatively high and may contribute to the below-average math and English scores. The most recent spending-per-student figure ($8,119) is from 2018-2019, making it difficult to link recent gains to funding changes. The absenteeism paradox—high graduation despite high chronic absenteeism—suggests effective credit recovery programs, but also flags a potential engagement risk. Overall, Hillcrest High School is a school with notable strengths in science and graduation, but with clear room for improvement in math, English, and attendance.
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