Summary:
Zip code 35603, covering parts of Decatur and Morgan County in Alabama, is home to four elementary schools serving grades PK-4 or PK-5 with a combined enrollment of about 1,887 students, offering families a wide range of academic environments and outcomes.
Priceville Elementary School is the clear academic leader in the area, ranking in the 90th percentile statewide and earning a 5-star rating. Its test scores are consistently 20-30 percentage points higher than its local peers, with 3rd grade English proficiency at 84.91% and 3rd grade math at 68.87%, both far exceeding state averages. Notably, Priceville achieves these results while spending the least per student ($8,081) and serving the lowest percentage of students eligible for free/reduced lunch (33.98%). Among the Decatur City schools, Julian Harris Elementary School stands out as the most improved, jumping from the 48th to 63rd percentile in state rankings, with strong 5th grade English proficiency at 85.96%. Chestnut Grove Elementary School performs in the middle of the pack, while Frances Nungester Elementary School is the lowest-performing school in the zip code, ranking in the 31st percentile and having the highest free/reduced lunch rate at 75.47%.
Across the area, English proficiency rates are notably higher than math proficiency, suggesting literacy is a relative strength while mathematics poses a greater challenge. All four schools have chronic absenteeism rates well below the state average of 12%, with Julian Harris having the lowest at just 1.4%. The data reveals a strong correlation between socioeconomic status and performance, but Julian Harris provides a counterpoint by outperforming Chestnut Grove despite having a similar free/reduced lunch percentage. For parents, the choice is significant: Priceville offers the strongest academic program, while the Decatur City schools provide varied experiences with different strengths and challenges, making school selection a critical factor in educational outcomes.
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