Summary:
Zip code 35620 in Elkmont, Alabama, is served by two public schools within the Limestone County district, together educating about 1,196 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in a community where roughly 63-65% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Elkmont Elementary School (PK-5) is the stronger academic performer, maintaining a 3-star rating in recent years before a slight dip to 2 stars in the 2025-2026 ranking. Its state percentile ranking sits in the 49-55% range, with English Language Arts as a clear strength—proficiency ranges from 51.6% to 71.8% across grades, while math proficiency is lower at 36.6% to 47.3%. In contrast, Elkmont High School (grades 6-12) shows concerning declines, dropping to a 1-star rating and the 29th percentile in 2025-2026. The high school's academic struggles are most pronounced by 11th grade, where math proficiency falls to just 14.5% and English to 23.2%, though middle school grades (6th-8th) perform notably better, particularly in English (48-59% proficiency).
The most urgent issue facing both schools is chronic absenteeism, with rates of 18.3% at the elementary and 20.7% at the high school—nearly triple the district average of 7.2% and well above the state's 12.0%. This likely explains much of the academic underperformance. Despite these challenges, the high school boasts a 95.5% graduation rate, significantly exceeding both district (89.8%) and state (91.5%) averages, creating a paradox between low test scores and high graduation outcomes. There are pockets of excellence, including a remarkable jump in 8th grade science proficiency to 56.3% in 2025-2026, nearly matching the state average. With student-teacher ratios around 16:1 and per-student spending near $9,200-$9,700, both schools face systemic challenges that appear to be worsening, particularly around attendance and the transition from elementary to secondary education.
Thank you for your feedback!