Schools in Zip Code 35453

Zip code 35453 in Cottondale, Alabama, is served by four public schools—one elementary, two middle, and one high school—that collectively educate approximately 2,680 students across the Tuscaloosa City and Tuscaloosa County districts, in a predominantly low-income area where 65-79% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

For parents, the standout story is Paul W. Bryant High School, which made dramatic gains in one year—jumping 31 spots in state rankings, tripling math proficiency to 9.97%, and boosting science and English scores by 59% and 72%, respectively—while maintaining a 91.7% graduation rate that beats both district and state averages. In contrast, Cottondale Elementary School leads the zip code in English Language Arts, with 5th graders hitting 46.88% proficiency, though its math scores lag far behind. The two middle schools, Eastwood Middle School and Davis-Emerson Middle School, show a troubling "middle school slide" in math, with proficiency dropping from roughly 15% in 6th grade to under 10% by 8th grade. Across all four schools, math is the critical weakness—scores range from just 5.74% to 16.1%, far below state averages—while science consistently outperforms math by 2-3 times, suggesting students handle applied reasoning better than abstract concepts.

Chronic absenteeism tracks closely with performance: Paul W. Bryant High School (17.5%) and Davis-Emerson Middle School (15.9%) have the highest rates and lowest scores, while Cottondale Elementary School (9.7%) performs relatively better. The Tuscaloosa City schools generally edge out the Tuscaloosa County schools in most metrics, despite similar poverty levels. Notably, higher spending doesn't guarantee results—Eastwood Middle School spends the most per student ($10,557) but doesn't significantly outperform Davis-Emerson Middle School ($9,532). The big takeaway: this area faces serious math challenges, but the rapid improvement at the high school proves that targeted interventions can work, even in high-poverty schools.