Summary:
Zip code 36605 in Mobile, Alabama is home to three high schools within the Mobile County district, serving grades 6 through 12 and catering to a predominantly economically disadvantaged student population.
For parents, the standout choice in this area is Ben C Rain High School, which consistently outperforms its larger counterpart. Ben C Rain boasts a graduation rate of 89.7%, well above the district average of 85.9%, and earns the only star rating among the three schools. In contrast, Lillie B Williamson High School, despite serving more students, struggles significantly—its graduation rate is just 78.7%, and its proficiency rates in 11th-grade math (5.41%) and English (6.42%) are roughly half of Ben C Rain's scores. Both schools face similar economic challenges, with over 86% of students on free/reduced lunch, yet Ben C Rain achieves meaningfully better outcomes, suggesting school-level factors like leadership and teaching quality are making a difference. The third option, Evening Educational Options, is a small alternative program with only 38 students, offering a second-chance pathway but reporting a very low 7.6% graduation rate, reflecting its unique mission.
The most pressing concern for families is chronic absenteeism, which is alarmingly high at both major schools—32.1% at Ben C Rain and 28.6% at Lillie B Williamson, more than double the state average of 12.0%. Additionally, Lillie B Williamson shows a troubling decline in proficiency as students advance, with 8th-grade math proficiency at a crisis-level 0.91%. On a positive note, both schools showed year-over-year improvement in most subjects from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, indicating a trajectory of progress. While the district itself ranks in the bottom third of Alabama, Ben C Rain demonstrates that improvement is achievable, making it the recommended choice for parents seeking the strongest academic environment in this zip code.
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