Best Public Schools in Zip Code 36401

Zip code 36401 in Evergreen, Alabama, is served by five schools within the Conecuh County district, which collectively enroll about 1,097 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, with all schools serving predominantly low-income populations.

For parents exploring options, the most striking finding is the success of Genesis Innovative School, an alternative K-12 school that outperforms its traditional counterparts in several key areas. Despite serving students who have struggled elsewhere, Genesis boasts the district's highest graduation rate at 95.3%, zero chronic absenteeism, and above-state-average 8th grade English proficiency (58.33% vs. 54.48% statewide). This contrasts sharply with Hillcrest High School, which faces a chronic absenteeism crisis at 37% and correspondingly low proficiency rates—just 3.28% of 11th graders are proficient in math and 13.11% in English. Among traditional schools, Evergreen Elementary School stands out as the academic anchor, with 4th grade English proficiency at 55.81% (near the state's 59.53%) and the district's best 4th grade science scores at 46.51%.

Mathematics is a district-wide challenge, with proficiency rates trailing state averages by double digits at nearly every grade level. Particularly alarming is the 8th grade math cliff, where both Thurgood Marshall Middle School and Lyeffion Junior High School report 0% proficiency. Evergreen Elementary also shows a concerning fifth-grade math slump, dropping from 34.88% to 6.67% proficiency. However, English performance is relatively stronger, with several grades approaching state averages. Parents should note that Thurgood Marshall Middle School has the highest per-student spending ($13,771) yet the worst student-teacher ratio (22.2:1), raising questions about resource allocation, while Lyeffion Junior High School offers the most favorable ratio at 14.1:1.