Summary:
The six elementary schools in zip code 36117 (Montgomery, AL) serve grades PK-5 (except Garrett, which serves K-5) and are part of the Montgomery County district, which ranks in the bottom 19% of Alabama districts.
There is a clear two-tier system within this zip code. Blount Elementary School is the clear standout, ranking 400th in the state (42nd percentile) with the lowest free/reduced lunch rate (38%) and the lowest student-teacher ratio (15.6:1). It outperforms all other local schools in nearly every subject, and its 4th grade science proficiency (53%) actually exceeds the state average. Halcyon Elementary School is the second-best option, ranking 447th (35th percentile) and showing strong 5th grade English scores (78% proficiency). At the other end, Garrett Elementary School and Wares Ferry Elementary School rank in the bottom 3% of all Alabama schools (662nd and 664th respectively), with both showing significant declines from the prior year. Dozier Elementary School (657th) and Wilson Elementary School (552nd) fall in between.
Several patterns stand out. First, every school in this area struggles more with math than English—at Halcyon, 5th grade English proficiency (78%) is 2.6 times higher than math (30%). Second, Wilson presents a paradox: it has the best attendance in the area (6.3% chronic absenteeism, half the state average) yet only ranks 20th percentile academically, suggesting that student attendance alone isn't driving outcomes. Third, there are dramatic year-over-year swings in test scores across all schools, indicating small cohort sizes and unstable instructional programs. Finally, per-student spending doesn't predict success—Wilson spends the most ($10,131/student) but ranks 5th, while Blount spends less ($8,800) and achieves the best results. For parents, school choice within this zip code matters enormously—the gap between the top and bottom schools represents nearly 40 percentile points in state rankings.
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