Summary:
Zip code 36360 in Ozark, Alabama, is served by the Ozark City school district, which includes four schools—two elementary, one middle, and one high school—collectively educating about 1,905 students across grades PK-12.
For parents, the standout school in this area is Harry N Mixon Intermediate School, which serves grades 1-6 and posts the strongest academic results despite having the highest economic disadvantage rate (80% free/reduced lunch). Mixon outperforms state averages in 3rd and 4th grade math, and its 5th grade English proficiency (66.67%) comes close to the state mark. In contrast, D A Smith Middle School shows a troubling "math cliff"—proficiency drops from 25% in 6th grade to just 5.34% in 8th grade, a 79% decline. However, Smith's 7th grade English scores nearly match the state average. Carroll High School serves grades 7-12 and shows the most improvement, with math proficiency more than doubling year-over-year (from 7.75% to 15.65%), though it still trails state averages. Its graduation rate of 95.4% exceeds the state's 91.5%, even with a high chronic absenteeism rate of 16.6%. Joseph W Lisenby Primary School (PK-2) rounds out the district, focusing on early foundational skills.
The district overall ranks in the 29th percentile statewide, with a clear pattern: strong early elementary performance that erodes through middle school before partially recovering in high school. Notably, Mixon spends the least per student ($9,386) yet achieves the best results, while Carroll spends the most ($10,266) with lower proficiency—suggesting resource allocation alone doesn't drive outcomes. The overlapping grade configurations (e.g., 6th grade at both Mixon and Smith, 7th at both Smith and Carroll) create multiple transition points that may disrupt learning continuity. For parents, this means early elementary years are a relative strength, but middle school math requires close monitoring and likely targeted support.
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