Summary:
Zip code 35481 in Reform, Alabama, is home to just one high school, Pickens County High School, which serves grades 5 through 12 and enrolls 265 students in the Pickens County district.
For parents considering this school, the most striking story is a dramatic academic turnaround. In just one year, 11th-grade proficiency rates soared: math jumped from 2.78% to 19.35%, science from 19.44% to 38.71%, and English from 11.11% to 35.48%. This surge helped the school leap from the 18th percentile to the 65th percentile in state rankings, earning a 3-star rating. Science is now a genuine strength, with 11th-grade scores (38.71%) actually exceeding the state average (36.17%). The school also boasts an exceptional 97.4% graduation rate, well above both the district (92.6%) and state (91.5%) averages. However, challenges remain. Chronic absenteeism sits at 15.7%, higher than the district (10.1%) and state (12.0%). More concerning, middle-grade math is severely lagging—6th-grade math proficiency was 0% in 2025-2026, and 7th-grade math was just 3.85%, far below state averages. With 78% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, the school serves a high-poverty population, making its recent gains at the 11th-grade level particularly notable.
Because the school spans eight grade levels with only 265 students, individual class sizes are small, leading to significant year-to-year volatility in scores. The 6th-grade math drop from 16.67% to 0% illustrates this variability, so single-year data should be interpreted cautiously. Still, the overall trajectory is positive: the school improved from 311th to 134th in state rankings in one year, and its high graduation rate suggests strong support for students finishing school. For parents, this is a school showing real momentum, though foundational math skills in earlier grades and attendance will be key areas to watch for sustained improvement.
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