Summary:
Zip code 35816 is served by a single public elementary school, Sonnie Hereford Elementary School, which enrolls 578 students in grades PK through 6 as part of the Huntsville City school district.
For parents considering this area, the most important takeaway is that Sonnie Hereford Elementary is facing significant academic challenges, particularly in mathematics. In the most recent testing year, math proficiency rates were critically low across all grades, ranging from just 3.13% in 4th grade to 19.48% in 6th grade, compared to state averages between 35% and 45%. English Language Arts performance is somewhat better but still well below benchmarks, with proficiency rates from 24.62% in 4th grade to 37.66% in 6th grade. The school's state ranking has declined sharply, falling from the 15th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 5th percentile in 2025-2026, indicating a worsening trajectory. A notable relative strength exists in 5th-grade ELA, where 51.35% of students met proficiency standards, coming much closer to the district average than any other subject or grade.
Beyond test scores, the school serves a high-needs population, with 79.41% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch. Chronic absenteeism is a major concern at 16.0%, nearly double the district rate of 8.2% and higher than the state average of 12.0%. The student-teacher ratio of 18.6 is relatively high, which may limit individualized attention. While the school demonstrates a relative strength in literacy instruction compared to math, the combination of high poverty, significant absenteeism, and declining academic performance suggests that comprehensive intervention is needed. Parents should be aware that while the school offers a full elementary program, the current academic outcomes and support challenges are substantial, and the downward trend in state rankings underscores the urgency of the situation.
Thank you for your feedback!