Best Public Schools in Zip Code 36544

Zip code 36544 in Irvington, Alabama, is served by five schools within the Mobile County district, including four elementary schools and one high school, with a total enrollment of 3,538 students and no middle schools in the immediate area.

For parents, the standout elementary school is Anna F Booth Elementary School, which earns the top 3-star rating in the zip code, ranks in the 64th percentile statewide, and achieves the best results with the smallest class sizes (17:1 student-teacher ratio) and lowest enrollment. Saint Elmo Elementary School is the most consistent performer, maintaining 3-star ratings across three years with strong 5th-grade English proficiency (75.71%) and solid science scores. Pearl Haskew Elementary also earns 3 stars but spends the most per student ($10,693) without outperforming its cheaper peers. Dixon Elementary School is the area of concern, with the lowest ranking (35th percentile), weakest 3rd-grade math (18.67% proficiency), and the highest chronic absenteeism rate at 14.0%—though it surprisingly excels in 4th-grade science (62.77%, well above state averages). At the high school level, Alma Bryant High School shows remarkable momentum, jumping from the 41st to 61st percentile in one year, with English proficiency (40.33%) significantly exceeding district and state benchmarks and an exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of 5.7%.

Key takeaways for families include a notable strength in elementary science, where three of four schools beat state averages by 12-24 points, and a "high-poverty, high-performance" pattern—all elementary schools have 70%+ free/reduced lunch eligibility yet three achieve 3-star ratings. However, there is a math pipeline concern: strong elementary math scores don't translate to high school, where 11th-grade math proficiency drops to 22.79%, below the state average. Spending doesn't predict success, as the top performer spends the second-least. With no middle school in the zip code, students transition elsewhere for grades 6-8, which may contribute to the math drop-off. Overall, this cluster offers strong elementary options, particularly Anna F Booth and Saint Elmo, while Dixon needs attention in attendance and math, and the district itself ranks in the 33rd percentile statewide.