Summary:
Zip code 36535 in Foley, Alabama, is served by a single public high school, Foley High School, which enrolls 1,520 students in grades 9-12 and operates within the highly regarded Baldwin County school district.
Foley High School is a large school where nearly 60% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating a majority low-income student body. The school has seen a notable decline in its state ranking, dropping from the 76th percentile (4 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 60th percentile (3 stars) in 2025-2026, even though its district ranks in the top quarter of Alabama. Academically, the school shows a mixed picture: mathematics proficiency improved significantly from 21.98% to 26.79% (now slightly above the state average), while English improved modestly to 30.79% and science dipped slightly to 30.36%. However, the school consistently trails its district averages by 11 to 17 percentage points across all subjects, highlighting persistent achievement gaps.
The most pressing concern is chronic absenteeism, which stands at 21.5%—nearly double the district rate of 11.2% and the state rate of 12.0%. This likely contributes to the school's graduation rate of 86.3%, which falls below both the district (89.6%) and state (91.5%) averages. With a favorable 15.6:1 student-teacher ratio and per-student spending of $9,337, the school appears adequately resourced, suggesting the challenges stem more from student engagement and the high concentration of poverty rather than a lack of funding. The improvement in math offers a glimmer of hope, but addressing absenteeism and closing the wide achievement gaps versus the district will be critical for reversing the school's downward trajectory.
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