Summary:
Zip code 35570 in Hamilton, Alabama, is served by three public schools within the Marion County district, providing a complete educational pipeline from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade for approximately 1,550 students.
For families considering this area, Hamilton Elementary School is the clear standout, earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the 92nd percentile statewide. Its math proficiency rates are extraordinary—82.3% of 3rd graders are proficient compared to the state average of 44.89%—and this excellence persists despite 60% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. Hamilton Middle School provides steady, consistent 4-star performance, though it reveals a concerning "math cliff" where 6th grade proficiency drops to 34.81% (below the state average) after 5th graders posted a strong 67.52%. Hamilton High School is the district's most improved school, jumping from a 2-star to 4-star rating in just two years, with English scores now 6.7 points above the state average, though math and science still lag slightly behind state benchmarks.
The district's greatest strength is its consistent English language arts performance, which exceeds state averages at every grade level. Chronic absenteeism is impressively low at the middle and high schools (7.4% and 7.3% respectively, versus the 12% state average), and the high school maintains a solid 91.5% graduation rate. The elementary school's 15% absenteeism rate is higher than the state average, yet the school still achieves elite results—a testament to effective instruction. The middle school operates with significantly less per-student funding ($6,833) than the elementary ($9,916) or high school ($10,477), yet delivers comparable outcomes, suggesting efficient resource use. For parents, this district offers a strong elementary foundation, a middle school with a specific math transition challenge to monitor, and a high school on a clear upward trajectory—making it a solid choice with targeted areas for improvement.
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