Schools in Zip Code 36266

Zip code 36266 in Lineville, Alabama, is served by three public schools within the Clay County district, providing a complete educational pipeline for 1,274 students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Lineville Elementary School is the clear standout in this area, ranking in the 62nd percentile statewide and showing improvement year over year. It excels in early literacy with 81% of 3rd graders proficient in English—well above the state average—and also outperforms state averages in 5th grade English and 4th grade science. The elementary school also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the zip code at 9.4%. In contrast, Central Junior High School of Clay County represents the most significant challenge, ranking in just the 38th percentile with a concerning 10.42% proficiency rate in 8th grade math—less than half the state average. Central High School of Clay County shows promising momentum, climbing 58 positions in state rankings over two years, though its 11th grade English proficiency of 16.81% remains less than half the state average.

The most dramatic finding is the "middle school cliff"—math proficiency collapses from 44.78% in 6th grade to just 17.39% in 7th grade, a 27-point drop that persists through high school. Science is a consistent bright spot across all three schools, exceeding state averages at every grade level tested. Chronic absenteeism increases with grade level, reaching 14.9% at the high school, which is 24% above the state rate. Notably, the high school receives 48% more per-student funding ($10,963) than the middle school ($7,408), yet academic outcomes remain below state averages in most subjects. While all three schools serve majority low-income populations, the elementary school demonstrates that economic disadvantage doesn't preclude academic success, achieving above-state performance in several areas despite 68% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.