Best Public Schools in Zip Code 35950

Zip code 35950 in Albertville, AL, is served by the Albertville City school district, which operates 6 schools—two elementary, two middle, and two high schools—enrolling roughly 5,344 students in a high-poverty area where about two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

For parents, the standout academic performer is Albertville Elementary School, which leads the district in 3rd grade math (45.27% proficient, actually above the state average) and showed a big jump in 4th grade English proficiency from 45.29% to 53.04% year-over-year. The biggest turnaround story is Albertville High School, which surged from the 43rd to the 69th percentile in state rankings in a single year, nearly doubling its math proficiency (15.58% to 27.8%) and posting a 93.2% graduation rate that beats the state average. Meanwhile, Albertville Innovation Academy is an alternative high school with the district's lowest chronic absenteeism rate (9.8%, below the state's 12.0%) but also the lowest test scores—suggesting it serves engaged students who need academic support. The middle schools, Albertville Intermediate School and Albertville Middle School, show a concerning "middle school slide" in math, with proficiency dropping from 45.27% in 3rd grade to just 15.66% in 8th grade—a 30-point decline. English, however, improves with grade level, reaching 62.88% proficiency in 5th grade.

Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide issue, averaging 15.0% versus the state's 12.0%, with Albertville High School the worst at 23.1%—nearly 2.5 times higher than the Innovation Academy. Student-teacher ratios are generally favorable, best at Albertville Primary School (16.5:1) and worst at Albertville Intermediate (20.0:1). Per-student spending varies widely, from $6,876 at Albertville Intermediate to $9,624 at Albertville Elementary, though higher spending doesn't always correlate with better outcomes. Despite trailing state averages in most subjects—especially 3rd grade English (38.52% vs. 64.75% state) and 8th grade math (15.66% vs. 26.36% state)—the district shows a positive trajectory, with most schools improving year-over-year, suggesting recent initiatives are beginning to pay off.