Summary:
Zip code 35660 in Sheffield, Alabama, is served by two elementary schools within the Sheffield City district, together educating roughly 597 students from pre-kindergarten through 6th grade in a community where a majority of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
For parents comparing the two schools, the key difference is the grade structure: WA Threadgill Primary School serves the youngest learners (PK-2), while L E Willson Elementary School picks up with grades 3-6. This means most children will attend both schools as they progress. L E Willson is the more academically notable of the two, showing real momentum. Its 6th graders posted a remarkable 41.67% math proficiency rate in 2025-2026, beating the state average and representing a massive jump from the prior year's 19.05%. Third graders also nearly matched the state in English with 62.32% proficiency. The school improved its overall state ranking from 516th to 464th and earned a 2-star rating. WA Threadgill, while lacking comparable test data, stands out for its lower chronic absenteeism (15.6%) than the district average (18.6%), suggesting strong early-grade engagement. It also receives more funding per student ($11,366 vs. $10,053 at L E Willson), reflecting an investment in early education.
Both schools face challenges tied to high poverty rates (69.77% at WA Threadgill and 78.26% at L E Willson). The most concerning academic pattern appears at L E Willson in 4th grade, where English proficiency drops sharply to 43.94% from 62.32% in 3rd grade, and science proficiency sits at just 27.27% versus the state's 50.23%. Chronic absenteeism at both schools (14.6% and 15.6%) also exceeds the state's 12.0% benchmark. Still, the dramatic gains in 6th grade math and strong 3rd grade reading show that progress is possible even in high-need settings, making these schools worth watching for continued improvement.
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