Summary:
Zip code 36301 in Dothan, Alabama, is served by six elementary schools spanning grades PK through 6, with a combined enrollment of 2,814 students across the Houston County and Dothan City districts.
The standout school in this area is Carver School of Mathematics Science and Technology, a magnet school earning 5-star ratings for three consecutive years and ranking in the 95th-98th percentile statewide. Carver achieves remarkable results despite a 55% free/reduced lunch population, with 100% of 3rd graders proficient in English and 85% proficient in math. In stark contrast, Beverlye Intermediate School has received 0-star ratings for three straight years, ranking in the bottom 1-4% of Alabama schools with math proficiency rates of just 2-3%. Rehobeth Primary School, the only Houston County school in the zip code, performs well with a 4-star rating and 80th percentile ranking, while Heard Elementary School and Selma Street Elementary School fall in the middle with 2-star and 1-star ratings respectively. Hidden Lake Primary School serves grades K-2 and does not participate in state testing.
Chronic absenteeism varies widely, from an excellent 3.0% at Selma Street to a concerning 17.0% at Hidden Lake. Economic disadvantage is significant across most schools, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 52.4% at Rehobeth to 85.0% at Selma Street. Interestingly, Carver achieves its exceptional results with a student-teacher ratio of 20.4:1, while Beverlye has the highest ratio at 21.1:1. Per-student spending shows no correlation with outcomes—Carver spends $10,963 per student versus Selma Street's $11,300, yet Carver dramatically outperforms. The grade configurations create a pipeline where students at Hidden Lake (83% poverty) typically feed into Beverlye (84% poverty, 0 stars), compounding disadvantages. However, Carver proves that high-poverty schools can excel, making school choice in this zip code potentially transformative for families.
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