Summary:
Zip code 35903, serving the Gadsden and Hokes Bluff areas of Alabama, is home to three elementary schools—Hokes Bluff Elementary School, Adams Elementary School, and Donehoo Elementary School—which together serve roughly 1,268 students from Pre-K through 5th grade across two districts: Etowah County and Gadsden City.
For parents, the standout choice is Hokes Bluff Elementary School, the largest school in the area with 610 students. It earns a 3-star rating and ranks in the 68th percentile statewide, with strong English proficiency (72.5% average) and the best science scores (64.44%) in the zip code. Its poverty rate is the lowest at 45.41%, and it maintains a solid student-teacher ratio of 16.4. Meanwhile, Donehoo Elementary School is the most improved, jumping from the 49th to the 65th percentile in one year. Despite serving a high-poverty population (73.33% free/reduced lunch), Donehoo matches Hokes Bluff in English proficiency (72.04%) and actually beats it in math (52.83% vs. 45.28%). It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism (6.4%) and spends the most per student ($11,244), though it serves the fewest students (225).
The biggest challenge is Adams Elementary School, which ranks in the bottom 8th percentile with a 0-star rating. With 90.76% of students on free/reduced lunch, Adams trails dramatically in every subject—math proficiency is just 15.78% and English is 35.78%, both far below state averages. Interestingly, Adams has lower chronic absenteeism (11.5%) than Hokes Bluff (14.9%), showing attendance isn't the main driver of its struggles. The key takeaway: Donehoo proves that high-poverty schools can succeed, while Hokes Bluff shows efficiency with lower spending per student. Adams, despite similar demographics to Donehoo, lags by 37 points in math, suggesting instructional quality and resource deployment—not just funding—make the critical difference.
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