Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 35801

Zip code 35801 in Huntsville, Alabama, is served by two elementary schools—Blossomwood Elementary School and Monte Sano Elementary School—both part of the Huntsville City district and covering grades PK through 6.

These two schools, located just a few miles apart, offer vastly different educational experiences. Monte Sano Elementary School is a clear standout, earning a 5-star rating for three consecutive years and ranking in the top 3% of all elementary schools in Alabama. Its students achieve proficiency rates that are roughly double the district average in nearly every subject and grade level, with 6th grade English proficiency reaching 92.3% and 4th grade science at 90.2%. The school also boasts very low chronic absenteeism (2.7%) and a highly affluent student body, with only 9.89% qualifying for free/reduced lunch. In contrast, Blossomwood Elementary School holds a 2-star rating and ranks in the 44th percentile statewide, a decline from its 3-star ratings in the previous two years. Blossomwood serves a much more economically diverse population, with 50.5% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, and its academic performance lags significantly behind its peer.

The achievement gap between the two schools is stark, particularly in mathematics. For example, in 6th grade math, Monte Sano's proficiency rate (84.6%) is more than four times higher than Blossomwood's (18.7%), which also saw a troubling 13-point drop in that subject from the prior year. While Blossomwood shows relative strength in English/Language Arts, its math scores remain a major concern. Attendance patterns mirror these outcomes, with Monte Sano's chronic absenteeism at just 2.7% compared to Blossomwood's 7.9%. Additionally, Monte Sano spends about $1,873 more per student ($10,022 vs. $8,149), despite having nearly identical student-to-teacher ratios. For families in this zip code, the choice between these two schools represents a significant difference in educational outcomes, with Monte Sano demonstrating consistent excellence and Blossomwood facing challenges that suggest a need for targeted math intervention and attendance support.