Summary:
Zip code 36089 is home to just one elementary school, Union Springs Elementary School, which serves grades Kindergarten through 4th grade and enrolls 497 students in the Union Springs, Alabama area.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that this school faces significant challenges but is showing real signs of progress. The school serves a predominantly low-income population, with 85% of students receiving free or reduced lunch, and it has a chronic absenteeism rate of 23.8%—nearly double the state average. Academically, the school's strongest area is 3rd grade English, where 67% of students are proficient, actually beating the state average of 64.75%. However, there is a dramatic drop-off in 4th grade, where English proficiency falls to just 25.7% and math to 19.1%, compared to 39.8% in 3rd grade math. This suggests a possible transition challenge between grade levels that parents should be aware of. On a positive note, the school has shown remarkable year-over-year improvement in 3rd grade, with math proficiency jumping 14.3 points and English rising 14.1 points, indicating that recent interventions may be working for younger students.
The school is part of the Bullock County district, which ranks in the bottom 7% of Alabama districts. Since Union Springs Elementary is the only elementary school in the district, its performance directly defines the district's reputation. The school has been improving its state ranking over the past three years, moving from the 5th percentile to the 20th percentile. With a student-teacher ratio of 17.1:1 and per-student spending of $9,602, resources are modest, but the upward trajectory suggests the school is gradually overcoming its obstacles. Parents should note that while 5th grade data isn't part of this school, students who move on show continued academic decline, highlighting the need for sustained support beyond 4th grade.
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