Schools in Zip Code 36587

Zip code 36587 in Wilmer, Alabama, is served by three elementary schools—J E Turner Elementary, Wilmer Elementary School, and Tanner Williams Elementary School—all part of the Mobile County district, serving approximately 1,276 students in grades PK-5.

Families in this area have two standout options. J E Turner Elementary is the clear academic leader, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 80th percentile statewide—a dramatic jump from the 57th percentile just two years ago. It leads the zip code in math (66.4% proficiency) and science (73.8%), and its English scores (70.5%) are well above state averages. Tanner Williams Elementary School is the consistent performer, also holding a 4-star rating (77th percentile) with nearly identical English proficiency (70.6%) and strong math scores (60.1%). It also offers the most favorable student-teacher ratio (15.5:1) and highest per-student spending ($10,125). By contrast, Wilmer Elementary School lags significantly with a 2-star rating (42nd percentile), math proficiency of just 31.1%, and English scores (60.7%) barely above the district average.

The most striking finding is that performance gaps cannot be explained by attendance or funding alone. Wilmer Elementary School actually has the best attendance (8.8% chronic absenteeism) and similar spending to its peers, yet its math scores are less than half of J E Turner Elementary’s. Meanwhile, J E Turner Elementary outperforms expectations despite serving a population with 61.4% economic need, suggesting effective instructional strategies that could serve as a model. All three schools beat their district averages in most subjects, making this zip code a relative bright spot within the Mobile County system, though math remains the critical differentiator between the high-performing schools and Wilmer Elementary School.