Summary:
Zip code 35549, encompassing the Carbon Hill area of Alabama, is home to just one public school: Carbon Hill Elementary Junior High School, a combined PK-8 campus serving 475 students within the Walker County district.
For parents, the standout story here is the school’s remarkable upward trajectory. Over the past two years, it has jumped from the 47th to the 64th percentile in state rankings, earning a 3-star rating. The most dramatic evidence of this progress is the "4th Grade Phenomenon": in 2025-2026, 4th graders posted exceptional scores, with 79.49% proficient in Science (29 points above the state average), 82.5% in English (23 points above), and 53.85% in Math (12 points above). This suggests either a particularly strong cohort or highly effective instruction at that grade level. English is a clear school-wide strength, with proficiency exceeding state averages in five of six grade levels. However, math performance is more uneven, showing a concerning decline in upper grades—7th grade math proficiency sits at just 19.64%, well below the state’s 24.46%.
While the school’s overall direction is positive, year-over-year scores are volatile. For example, 3rd grade math plummeted from 62.86% to 32.56% proficiency, while 7th grade English fell from 70.77% to 48.21%. This inconsistency points to sensitivity to cohort differences or teaching changes. On a brighter note, chronic absenteeism is a low 10.5% (below the state’s 12%), and with 58.74% of students on free/reduced lunch, the school serves a moderately economically disadvantaged population while maintaining strong attendance. The student-teacher ratio of 19.7:1 is on the higher side, but the school’s improving performance despite these constraints is encouraging. For parents, this is a school on the rise, with clear strengths in English and a need to watch math support in middle grades.
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