Schools in Zip Code 36091

Zip code 36091 in Verbena, Alabama, is served by a single school, Verbena High School, an alternative school within the Chilton County district that enrolls 589 students across grades PK-12.

For parents, the most striking takeaway is the dramatic academic decline as students get older. In 3rd grade, Verbena students outperform both district and state averages in math (58.82% proficient vs. 44.89% statewide) and English (76.47% vs. 64.75% statewide), showing that early elementary instruction is a clear strength. However, by 7th grade, math proficiency collapses to just 3.77%, and by 11th grade, only 4.26% of students are proficient in math—a staggering 23-point gap below the state average. English proficiency follows a similar downward trajectory, falling from 76.47% in 3rd grade to 30.19% in 7th grade. This pattern suggests the school struggles to support students through the middle school transition, despite strong early foundations. The school's graduation rate of 91% slightly exceeds the district average (90.1%) but trails the state (91.5%), while chronic absenteeism at 12.4% runs 49% higher than the district rate of 8.3%.

With 66.55% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, Verbena serves a high-poverty population, and its alternative classification indicates it works with students who have faced challenges in traditional settings. Year-over-year test data shows significant volatility—3rd grade math jumped nearly 20 points and 11th grade English rose over 20 points between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026—likely reflecting small cohort sizes. The school's elementary grades are a genuine bright spot, but the inability to sustain that success through high school represents the school's most critical challenge. Parents should understand that while early education at Verbena is strong, the school faces significant hurdles in maintaining academic achievement as students advance, particularly in math and science at the secondary level.