Summary:
Zip code 36532 in Fairhope, Alabama is served by five schools in the Baldwin County district, covering grades PK-12 with a total enrollment of 5,000 students across three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
This is an elite educational ecosystem where every school ranks in the top 10% of its type in Alabama. Fairhope West Elementary is the academic powerhouse, ranking 18th out of 686 elementary schools with 92.31% of 3rd graders proficient in English and 82.2% in Math—both far exceeding state averages. Fairhope High School is equally impressive at 10th out of 380 high schools, with a 91% graduation rate and proficiency rates double the state average in both English and Math. The most dramatic improver is J Larry Newton School, which jumped from rank 136 to 49 over three years and boasts the highest 5th grade scores in the entire zip code (93.48% English, 86.96% Math). Fairhope East Elementary and Fairhope Middle School round out the group, all performing well above district and state benchmarks.
The standout finding is consistency—even the "lowest" performing school exceeds state averages by 15-30 points in most subjects. However, there are clear patterns to note. Elementary schools have exceptional attendance (5.2-5.4% chronic absenteeism) while middle school (11.5%) and high school (13.3%) rates are much higher, suggesting a transition challenge. Math is the relative weakness across all schools, though still far above state levels. Interestingly, spending doesn't correlate with results—Fairhope East Elementary spends the least ($8,186/student) yet achieves strong outcomes, while Fairhope West Elementary spends the most ($10,496) and performs best. For parents, this district offers exceptional academics at every level, with the main watchpoints being secondary attendance and maintaining elementary momentum through the middle school years.
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