Schools in Zip Code 36078

ZIP code 36078 is served by the Tallassee City school district, which includes three public schools—Tallassee Elementary School (PK-4), Southside Middle School (5-8), and Tallassee High School (9-12)—serving roughly 1,507 students in this Alabama community.

Southside Middle School is the clear standout, ranking in the 67th percentile statewide and showing the strongest year-over-year improvement. It excels in 8th-grade science (62% proficient vs. 54% statewide) and 5th-grade English (72% vs. 70% statewide), while also posting the district's best chronic absenteeism rate at just 4.6%. In contrast, Tallassee High School has slipped from the 60th to 52nd percentile and shows a dramatic achievement cliff—11th-grade English proficiency is only 23%, a 44-point drop from 8th-grade levels at the middle school. The high school does maintain a solid 87.7% graduation rate and low absenteeism (7.8%). Tallassee Elementary School performs near state averages in most subjects, with above-average math scores despite having the highest economic disadvantage rate (58.6% free/reduced lunch).

Several patterns stand out for parents. The middle school achieves the best results while spending the least per student ($8,417), while the high school spends the most ($10,077) yet produces the weakest outcomes—suggesting resource allocation may need review. Chronic absenteeism is counterintuitively highest at the elementary level (12.1%), nearly triple the middle school's rate. District-wide, English language arts is a persistent weakness, with all three schools lagging state averages in at least one grade level. Year-over-year test scores also fluctuate dramatically (e.g., 8th-grade science jumped from 31% to 62% proficiency in one year), making it difficult to gauge true performance trends. Overall, families should expect strong middle school academics, a concerning high school transition, and inconsistent elementary results.