Summary:
Zip code 35613 in Athens, Alabama, is served by a single elementary school, Johnson Elementary School, which enrolls 475 students in grades PK through 5 within the Limestone County school district.
For parents considering this area, the most important takeaway is that Johnson Elementary is a school with clear academic strengths but a concerning recent trend. The school has dropped dramatically in state rankings over the past two years, falling from the 77th percentile (4 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 47th percentile (2 stars) in 2025-2026. However, this decline is not uniform across all subjects. The school's standout performance is in 5th grade English, where 72% of students scored proficient—beating both the district (65%) and state (70%) averages. In fact, Johnson consistently outperforms the district average in nearly every subject and grade level, making it a relative bright spot within Limestone County. The most troubling data point is the 4th grade cohort, which saw English proficiency plummet by 24.5 percentage points and math drop by 11.4 points in a single year—suggesting either a difficult transition year or a specific instructional challenge that warrants attention.
On operational metrics, the school serves a moderately economically disadvantaged population, with 47.8% of students receiving free or reduced lunch. Chronic absenteeism sits at 11.2%, which is below the state average of 12% but notably higher than the district's 7.2%. The student-teacher ratio is 17.5:1, and per-student spending was $11,382 (though this figure is from 2018-2019 and may be outdated). Given the ranking decline, parents may want to ask the district about current resource allocation and any interventions planned for the 4th grade. The school's relative strength in English Language Arts, particularly in 5th grade, provides a solid foundation, but the overall trajectory suggests this is a critical moment for the school to reverse its downward trend.
Thank you for your feedback!