Summary:
Zip code 35646, encompassing the Leighton, Alabama area, is served by a single high school, Colbert County High School, which educates students in grades 7 through 12 with a total enrollment of 438 students.
For parents considering this school, the most important takeaway is that Colbert County High School is a mid-sized rural school with a majority low-income student population (59.82% qualify for free/reduced lunch) and a favorable 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio. The school has shown some positive momentum, improving from a 1-star rating in 2023-2024 to a 2-star rating in both 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, though its state ranking dipped slightly in the most recent year. The graduation rate stands at 89.4%, which is below both the district (93.5%) and state (91.5%) averages. A significant concern is chronic absenteeism at 18.3%, which is 52.5% higher than the state average of 12.0%.
Academically, the school struggles most notably in upper-grade literacy and science. Only 9.62% of 11th graders are proficient in English, a staggering 71.5% gap below the state average of 33.73%, and 8th grade science proficiency (21.54%) is less than half the district rate (45.3%). There is also a troubling pattern of declining proficiency as students advance, with English proficiency dropping from 47.73% in 6th grade to just 9.62% in 11th grade. However, there is some encouraging news: 11th grade math proficiency nearly doubled from 9.38% to 18.64% year-over-year, and the school outperforms its district in 11th grade math and 8th grade math. Despite spending $12,099 per student and having adequate resources, the school consistently underperforms state averages, suggesting challenges related to poverty concentration and chronic absenteeism rather than funding alone. The disconnect between an 89.4% graduation rate and low test scores may indicate a focus on completion over academic rigor.
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