Summary:
Zip code 36273 is home to a single elementary school, Ranburne Elementary School, which serves grades PK through 4 in the Cleburne County district with an enrollment of 343 students.
Ranburne Elementary is the only school in this area, and it is currently on a strong upward trajectory. The school has jumped dramatically in state rankings, moving from the 59th percentile in the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years to the 84th percentile in 2025-2026, now ranking 111th out of 686 Alabama elementary schools with a 4-star rating. This represents a leap of 166 places in a single year, signaling that recent instructional changes are having a powerful effect. Academically, the school's biggest strength is English Language Arts, where 84.15% of 3rd graders and 83.33% of 4th graders are proficient, far exceeding state averages of 64.75% and 59.53%. Science is also a standout, with 68.52% of 4th graders proficient compared to the state average of 50.23%. Math performance is solid but more varied: 4th grade math proficiency is 59.26% (well above the state's 42.07%), while 3rd grade math is 48.15% (slightly above the state's 44.89%).
Beyond test scores, the school offers a supportive learning environment. The student-teacher ratio is a favorable 15.5, allowing for more individualized attention. Chronic absenteeism is low at 8.7%, better than both the district (10.2%) and state (12.0%) averages, which supports consistent learning. About 44.9% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating moderate economic diversity. Per-student spending is $8,234. One interesting note is a cohort effect in math: the current 4th graders, who were 3rd graders last year, saw their math proficiency jump from 25.86% to 59.26%, suggesting that targeted interventions are working well for this group. Overall, Ranburne Elementary is a high-performing, rapidly improving school that consistently outperforms district and state averages, making it a strong choice for families in the 36273 area.
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