Best Public Schools in Zip Code 35990

Zip code 35990 is served by a single public school, West End High School, a combined middle and high school in Walnut Grove, AL, that educates students in grades 7 through 12 within the Etowah County district.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that this is a small school (370 students) with a strong graduation rate of 94.1%, which beats the state average. However, academic performance is mixed and varies dramatically by grade level. The 8th grade class is a standout, with 75% proficiency in both English and Science—far exceeding state averages—but the same cohort scores only 17.86% in Math. In contrast, 11th graders struggle significantly, with proficiency rates around 24% in English and Science and just 14.81% in Math. This sharp drop-off from middle school to high school suggests students may lose momentum or face a more rigorous curriculum. The 7th grade also saw a concerning decline, with English proficiency falling from 65% to 48% in one year. Math is a universal weakness across all grades, never exceeding 21% proficiency.

The school's biggest red flag is chronic absenteeism: 33.4% of students are chronically absent, a rate nearly three times the state average and more than double the district's rate. This likely contributes to lower high school test scores and is a critical area for improvement. On a positive note, the school has improved its state ranking from a 1-star to a 2-star rating over the past two years, and 11th grade scores are trending upward in all subjects. With a majority of students (54.59%) receiving free or reduced lunch, the school serves an economically diverse population and manages to keep students on track to graduate despite academic challenges.