Summary:
Zip code 35634 in Florence, Alabama is home to two public high schools—Wilson High School and Rogers High School—both serving grades 7 through 12 within the Lauderdale County school district, which holds a 3-star rating and ranks in the 60th percentile statewide.
Wilson High School is the stronger overall performer, ranking 244th in Alabama (36th percentile) compared to Rogers' 251st (34th percentile). Wilson boasts a 98.0% graduation rate versus Rogers' 96.8%, and both far exceed the state average of 91.5%. Wilson also leads in 11th-grade math (18.75% vs. 14.29%) and 7th-grade math (30.3% vs. 15.94%). However, Rogers shines in English language arts, with 65.71% proficiency in 8th-grade English—well above both the district (61.67%) and state (58.53%)—and also outperforms Wilson in 8th-grade math (27.14% vs. 18.18%) and 8th-grade science (52.86% vs. 44.32%). Notably, Rogers serves a less economically disadvantaged population (36.47% free/reduced lunch vs. 48.21% at Wilson) yet still trails on most metrics, suggesting factors beyond poverty are at play.
Chronic absenteeism is a critical concern at both schools: Rogers reports 30.0% and Wilson 23.4%, compared to the state average of just 12.0%. This likely contributes to the significant ranking volatility both schools experienced—Wilson jumped from 234th to 105th in one year, then fell to 244th the next, while Rogers saw similar swings. Parents should interpret single-year rankings cautiously and instead focus on multi-year trends. Both schools also show a "middle school dip" in math proficiency from 7th to 8th grade, and Wilson's math proficiency drops sharply from 30.3% in 7th grade to 18.75% by 11th grade. Despite these challenges, both schools post exceptional graduation rates, and Rogers' per-student spending ($9,430) exceeds Wilson's ($8,825) without yielding better overall outcomes, highlighting that resource efficiency matters as much as funding levels.
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