Schools in Zip Code 35613

Zip code 35613 in Athens, AL is served by two schools within the Limestone County district: East Limestone High School (grades 6-12, 1,216 students) and Johnson Elementary School (grades PK-5, 475 students), with a combined enrollment of 1,691 students.

East Limestone High School is the clear standout, having made a dramatic leap in state rankings from 114th to 46th in Alabama—a jump of 65 positions in a single year. The school now ranks in the 88th percentile and boasts a 95.5% graduation rate, well above both the district (89.8%) and state (91.5%) averages. Its test scores are exceptional, often doubling or tripling district averages; for example, 8th grade math proficiency is 45.56% compared to the district's 15.65%, and 11th grade science proficiency is 53.33% versus the district's 24.20%. In contrast, Johnson Elementary School has been declining, dropping from 160th to 367th in state rankings over three years. While Johnson shows strength in English (5th grade proficiency at 72.13% exceeds the state average), its math scores lag behind state averages, and 4th grade math proficiency fell from 50.75% to 39.34% year-over-year.

There is a notable resource disparity: Johnson Elementary receives $11,382 per student compared to East Limestone's $7,987, despite the high school's superior performance. Both schools have chronic absenteeism rates (12.7% and 11.2%) slightly above the district average of 7.2%, yet the high school still achieves outstanding results. The feeder pattern disconnect is striking—Johnson feeds into East Limestone, yet the high school surges while the elementary school declines, possibly due to differing instructional strategies or the elementary school's higher poverty rate (47.79% free/reduced lunch vs. 34.05%). Both schools demonstrate strong literacy instruction, making English a consistent area of strength across the zip code.