Summary:
Zip code 36421, serving the Andalusia area of Alabama, is home to three public schools—Straughn Elementary School, Straughn Middle School, and Straughn High School—which together form a complete K-12 pathway within the Covington County school district, a system rated 3 stars and ranked 48th out of 139 districts in the state.
The standout in this cluster is Straughn Middle School, which earns a 5-star rating and ranks in the 96th percentile of Alabama middle schools. Its test scores are exceptional—8th-grade math proficiency is 64% versus the state’s 26%, and 8th-grade science hits 80% compared to 54% statewide. This school clearly outpaces its peers, and it does so with the highest per-student spending in the zip code at $10,337. Straughn Elementary School is solid but less spectacular, with strong English scores (75-84% proficiency) but more varied math results (49-62%). Straughn High School posts more moderate scores—11th-grade math proficiency is 33%—yet it shines with a 98.9% graduation rate, far above the state’s 91.5%.
One notable pattern is the “middle school leap”: 5th-grade math proficiency at the elementary school is 48.89%, but 6th-grade math at the middle school jumps to 70.24%, suggesting a highly effective instructional model. However, a drop-off appears in high school, where 8th-grade math proficiency of 64% falls to 33% by 11th grade. Chronic absenteeism is low across all schools, with the elementary school at just 4.9% versus the state’s 12.0%. Overall, this is a high-performing, cohesive community, but the district’s key challenge is replicating the middle school’s success to smooth the transition into high school.
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