Summary:
Zip code 35771 in Section, Alabama, is served by two schools within the Jackson County district, together educating about 641 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in this rural community.
Section High School is the larger institution with 503 students and, despite its "alternative" classification, functions as the area's primary comprehensive school. It shows exceptional early-grade performance, with 3rd grade math proficiency at 75.86% compared to the state's 44.89%, and a strong 93.6% graduation rate. However, its chronic absenteeism rate of 19.1% is notably higher than the state average of 12.0%, and math proficiency drops dramatically by 7th grade to 29.03%. Meanwhile, Macedonia School, a smaller elementary school with 138 students, excels in English language arts, achieving 90.91% proficiency in 5th grade English versus the state's 67.41%. Macedonia also improved its state ranking from the 38th to the 50th percentile, though it faces a 15.9% chronic absenteeism rate.
Both schools share a pattern of strong early-grade literacy that fades in upper grades, and both outperform state averages in English across most grade levels. Macedonia spends more per student ($11,737 vs. $9,937) despite having a higher student-teacher ratio, suggesting investment in programs rather than staff. Despite 52-58% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, both schools achieve several metrics at or above state averages, demonstrating academic resilience. The most pressing concern is attendance, as both schools exceed district and state chronic absenteeism rates, which likely contributes to the decline in upper-grade math performance. For parents, Section High School offers strong graduation outcomes and improving test scores, while Macedonia School provides excellent elementary literacy instruction in a smaller setting.
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