Best Public Schools in Zip Code 35760

Zip code 35760, serving the New Hope community in Madison County, Alabama, is home to 2 schools—New Hope High School (grades 7-12) and New Hope Elementary School (grades PK-6)—which together educate roughly 1,132 students within the Madison County school district, a 4-star rated system ranked 34th out of 139 districts in Alabama.

For parents, the most important story here is the contrast between the two schools. New Hope Elementary School shows a steady, positive trajectory, climbing from the 68th to the 71st percentile in state rankings over three years. Its 4th-grade science proficiency rate of 79.3% is exceptional—more than 29 points above the state average—and its math scores in grades 4, 5, and 6 all exceed district and state averages, suggesting a strong academic foundation is being built. In contrast, New Hope High School is marked by extreme volatility, swinging from a 66th percentile ranking to the 85th percentile and back down to the 64th percentile over three years. While the high school boasts a strong 96.3% graduation rate, its academic proficiency is concerning: only 17.7% of 11th graders are proficient in math, and 11th-grade English proficiency (37.7%) is less than half the rate of 8th graders (76.5%). This suggests a significant decline in performance as students advance through the upper grades.

Both schools face challenges with chronic absenteeism, which is notably higher than state averages—21.6% at the high school and 15.0% at the elementary school. Nearly half of all students qualify for free/reduced lunch, indicating a community with significant economic need. The high school also spends 33% more per student ($12,045 vs. $9,040) than the elementary school, a disparity worth noting. For parents, the elementary school appears to be a bright spot with consistent improvement and strong science instruction, while the high school, despite excellent graduation rates, shows concerning academic volatility and a clear need for targeted support in upper-grade math and English.