Summary:
Zip code 36105 in Montgomery, AL is served by just two schools—Bellingrath Middle School (grades 6-8) and Davis Elementary School (grades K-5)—both part of the Montgomery County district, with no high school in the immediate area, meaning older students must travel outside the zip code for secondary education.
Both schools face severe academic challenges, ranking in the bottom 1% of all Alabama schools. Bellingrath Middle is ranked 440th out of 443 middle schools, while Davis Elementary is ranked 685th out of 686 elementary schools. The most striking issue is mathematics: at Bellingrath, 7th grade math proficiency is just 0.57%, and at Davis, 3rd grade math proficiency is only 2.8%—both far below district and state averages. English scores are somewhat better, with Davis showing a notable grade-level improvement from 13.1% proficiency in 3rd grade to 34.2% in 5th grade, while Bellingrath's English scores hover around 14-16% across grades. Science is a relative bright spot, with Bellingrath's 8th grade science at 17%—over 10 times higher than its 8th grade math score.
Chronic absenteeism is a major concern, particularly at Bellingrath Middle, where 47.4% of students are chronically absent—nearly four times the state average and almost double the 26% rate at Davis Elementary. Both schools serve predominantly low-income families, with about 87.5% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. Interestingly, Bellingrath receives more funding per student ($11,220 vs. $9,516 at Davis) yet performs worse on most metrics, suggesting that money alone isn't the solution. Year-to-year scores fluctuate significantly, indicating small cohorts and inconsistent instruction. Parents should be aware that students leaving these schools are likely entering high school far behind their peers, which may contribute to the district's lower-than-average graduation rate.
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