Summary:
Zip code 36265, encompassing Jacksonville, Alabama, is served by two elementary schools—Kitty Stone Elementary School and Pleasant Valley Elementary School—which together educate 1,387 students across grades PK-6, with roughly half of all students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
For parents comparing the two, Pleasant Valley Elementary School is the clear academic standout. It consistently outperforms Kitty Stone Elementary School in nearly every subject and grade level, often by wide margins. For example, in 6th-grade math, Pleasant Valley’s proficiency rate (55.93%) is more than double Kitty Stone’s (24.79%). Pleasant Valley also boasts a lower chronic absenteeism rate (9.4% vs. 14.1%) and a better student-teacher ratio (16.9:1 vs. 18.9:1), despite both schools spending nearly identical amounts per student (~$8,970). Notably, Pleasant Valley achieves these results even though its district, Calhoun County, ranks lower overall than Jacksonville City, the district for Kitty Stone. This suggests school-level factors like teaching quality and culture matter more than district resources.
Both schools have strengths in English, exceeding state averages at every grade level, with Pleasant Valley’s 3rd-grade English proficiency (84.62%) nearly 20 points above the state norm. However, trends are concerning for both. Kitty Stone’s state ranking has slipped from the 72nd to the 58th percentile, and its 6th-grade math proficiency dropped sharply from 37.4% to 24.79% year-over-year—a red flag for the transition to middle school. Pleasant Valley, while still strong, has also declined from the 90th to the 79th percentile and lost its 5-star rating. For families prioritizing academics, Pleasant Valley is the stronger choice, but both schools offer solid foundations relative to state averages, with Kitty Stone’s upper-grade math and attendance issues warranting attention.
Thank you for your feedback!