Summary:
Zip code 36303 in Dothan, Alabama, is served by 7 schools within the Dothan City district, enrolling roughly 4,223 students across elementary, middle, and high school grades in a high-poverty area where about 77% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
For parents, the standout school in this area is Kelly Springs Elementary School, which ranks highest among the elementary options and shows real improvement, especially in 5th grade math where proficiency jumped from 13.5% to 30.7% in one year. It also leads in 4th grade science at 40% proficiency. At the other end, Girard Elementary School is the most concerning, ranking in the bottom 1% of Alabama schools with just 2.33% of 4th graders proficient in math. Dothan High School is the most improved school, jumping 84 spots in the state rankings and now sitting in the 59th percentile with a strong 94.3% graduation rate that exceeds the state average. The Dothan 6th Grade Center shows a troubling drop in performance, with only 5.87% of 6th graders proficient in math compared to much higher 5th grade scores at feeder schools.
The biggest takeaway is a systemic math crisis across all schools—even the best elementary math score (30.67% at Kelly Springs) falls below the state average of 39.06%. English performance is comparatively stronger, with Faine Elementary School matching the district average in 5th grade English at 55.17%. Interestingly, Morris Slingluff Elementary School and Girard receive the highest per-student funding yet produce the lowest scores, suggesting resources alone aren't solving the problem. Chronic absenteeism varies widely, from 7% at Girard to 25.9% at Faine, but doesn't correlate with performance. The Carver 9th Grade Academy is a bright spot for engagement with just 8.5% chronic absenteeism, showing the alternative setting provides solid support for 9th graders.
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