Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 36535

Zip code 36535 in Foley, Alabama, is served by three public elementary schools—Florence B Mathis Elementary, Foley Elementary School, and Magnolia School—which together educate nearly 3,000 students in grades PK-6 under the Baldwin County district.

For parents, the standout choice is Magnolia School, which consistently ranks highest among the three and posts the strongest English scores, especially in 5th and 6th grade where proficiency reaches 61-62%. It also has the most favorable student-teacher ratio at 15.6:1. Foley Elementary School is the steady middle performer, with stable rankings and a solid 5th grade English score of 62.6%, but it struggles in 6th grade math at just 18.6%. Florence B Mathis Elementary shows the most concerning trend, with declining rankings, a 1-star rating in 2023-2024, and the lowest math scores in the area—only 16.6% of 5th graders are proficient. All three schools serve predominantly economically disadvantaged populations, with free/reduced lunch rates between 57% and 63%.

The most striking finding is a systemic weakness in mathematics. Across all schools, math proficiency lags state averages by 20-25 percentage points, with a dramatic "5th grade cliff" where scores plummet—for example, Magnolia School drops from 35.8% in 4th grade to 14.8% in 5th grade. English performance is comparatively stronger, with Magnolia School exceeding state averages in several grades. Notably, higher spending doesn't guarantee better results: Foley Elementary School spends the most per student ($10,214) yet ranks in the middle, while Magnolia School achieves the best outcomes with mid-range spending. Chronic absenteeism is highest at Magnolia School (11.8%), yet it still outperforms peers, suggesting effective literacy programs can overcome socioeconomic barriers. While Baldwin County ranks in the 76th percentile statewide, these three schools sit in the bottom half of Alabama elementary schools, indicating the district's strong reputation is driven by other schools in the county.