Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 35810

Zip code 35810 in Huntsville, AL is home to 7 elementary schools serving grades PK-6 (with two serving PK-5) within the Huntsville City district, enrolling roughly 2,600 students across a mix of specialized academies and traditional neighborhood schools.

There is a stark performance divide between the two academy schools and the five traditional schools. Academy For Science Foreign Language is the clear standout, ranking 147th out of 686 Alabama elementary schools (4 stars) with exceptional test scores—77% proficiency in 3rd grade math and 85% in 5th grade English—plus the lowest chronic absenteeism (5.2%) and best student-teacher ratio (13.7:1) in the area. Academy For Academics Arts is the second-best performer (ranked 454th), showing particular strength in English with 77% proficiency in 5th grade. By contrast, the traditional schools lag significantly: Highlands Elementary ranks 658th with a shocking 2.44% proficiency in 5th grade math, while Lakewood Elementary (597th) and Rolling Hills Elementary (572nd) also struggle, with math averages below 24%.

Across all schools, English proficiency consistently outpaces math, and the gap is most pronounced in the lower-ranked schools—suggesting a need for targeted math intervention. Socioeconomic factors correlate strongly with outcomes: the academies have far lower free/reduced lunch rates (44-48%) compared to 70-75% at traditional schools, and the three schools with the highest chronic absenteeism (Rolling Hills at 15.5%, James Dawson at 14.0%, and Highlands at 12.1%) also rank in the bottom four academically. However, Montview Elementary defies expectations with just 1.2% chronic absenteeism despite a 74% poverty rate, and it has improved its rank from 618th to 541st. Notably, spending does not predict success—Montview spends the most per student ($13,217) yet ranks lower than the academy that spends the least ($9,962). For parents, the academies clearly offer the strongest academic outcomes, while the traditional schools face significant challenges in math and attendance that families should weigh carefully.