Best Public Schools in Zip Code 36277

Zip code 36277 in Weaver, Alabama, is served by two schools within the Calhoun County district, together educating roughly 1,012 students across grades PK-12.

For parents, the most pressing concern is the dramatic decline at Weaver High School. In just two years, the school fell from the 88th percentile in state rankings to the 39th, a drop of 187 positions. While it still posts a strong 96% graduation rate, academic proficiency tells a different story—math proficiency across grades 7, 8, and 11 ranges from just 10.5% to 18.6%, meaning roughly four out of five students are not meeting state standards. The school also lags significantly in 11th-grade English (23.5% vs. 33.7% statewide) and science (27.1% vs. 36.2%). This disconnect between high graduation rates and low test scores suggests students may be advancing without mastering core material. Meanwhile, Weaver Elementary School has remained more stable, hovering near the 41st-51st percentile, but it faces its own challenges—most notably a catastrophic 6th-grade math proficiency rate of just 10.1%, a full 25 points below the state average.

Comparing the two schools, the elementary school actually outperforms the high school relative to state benchmarks in several areas, including 4th-grade science (58.4% proficiency, 8 points above state) and 5th-grade English (70.6%, slightly above state). However, both schools share a systemic weakness in mathematics, with proficiency rates consistently 10-25 points below state averages. The high school spends $2,673 more per student than the elementary school yet produces worse outcomes, raising questions about resource allocation. With 66% of elementary students and 54% of high school students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, economic challenges are present, but they don't fully explain the performance gaps. Parents should note that while the elementary school shows pockets of strength, the high school's rapid decline and critically low math scores warrant serious attention regarding college and career readiness.