Summary:
Zip code 36320 in Cottonwood, Alabama, is served by two public schools within the Houston County district, together educating 881 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in a community where roughly 60% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Cottonwood Elementary School (PK-6) is the clear standout in this area, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the top quartile of Alabama elementary schools. Its 3rd graders post exceptional results—85.71% proficiency in English and 64.91% in math, both far exceeding state averages. The school outperforms state benchmarks in nearly every subject and grade, with a remarkably low 4.9% chronic absenteeism rate. In contrast, Cottonwood High School (7-12) shows more variability, though it has made impressive strides, jumping 68 positions in state rankings to reach the 63rd percentile. The high school boasts a perfect 100% graduation rate and strong 8th grade English scores (72.73% proficiency), but struggles with 7th grade math (21.67% proficiency, below the state average) and has a chronic absenteeism rate of 9.7%—nearly double the district's 5.3%.
The most striking finding is the dramatic performance cliff between the two schools: while 3rd graders achieve 64.91% math proficiency, 7th graders at the high school plummet to 21.67%—a 43-point drop that suggests curriculum misalignment or a challenging transition period. The 5th grade math scores (38.33%) also lag significantly behind the district average (61.18%), pointing to a specific instructional challenge. Despite these issues, the high school's recent improvement across nearly all subjects and its perfect graduation rate indicate strong student support systems. Overall, families in this area benefit from a top-tier elementary experience, while the high school offers promise but requires attention to middle school academics and attendance to fully match its elementary counterpart's success.
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