Summary:
Zip code 35550 in Cordova, AL, is home to just one elementary school, Cordova Elementary School, which serves grades K-4 and enrolls 321 students within the Walker County district.
For parents, this is a school that consistently outperforms state averages in most subjects despite serving a community where nearly 60% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The standout area is 4th-grade science, where 68.42% of students are proficient—a remarkable 18 points above the state average. English Language Arts is also a strength, with 3rd-grade proficiency at 73.97% and 4th-grade at 66.67%, both well ahead of state benchmarks. In math, 4th-graders beat the state by 7 points (49.12% vs. 42.07%), though 3rd-grade math lags slightly behind at 41.1%. The school earned a 5-star rating in 2023-2024, ranking in the 92nd percentile statewide, but has since slipped to a 3-star rating and the 68th percentile in 2025-2026. This decline is driven by year-over-year drops in 4th-grade math (down 8.88 points) and 4th-grade ELA (down 5.33 points), though science improved dramatically by 12.42 points.
Chronic absenteeism sits at 11%, below the state average of 12%, and the student-teacher ratio is a healthy 16:1. Per-student spending is moderate at $9,659, yet the school achieves above-average results, suggesting efficient resource use. The main concern is the downward trajectory in rankings and several subject scores, which may reflect cohort differences or instructional shifts. However, with science as a clear crown jewel and strong early literacy programs, Cordova Elementary School remains a solid choice that punches above its weight academically, proving that socioeconomic challenges don't have to dictate outcomes.
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