Summary:
Zip code 36613 in Eight Mile, Alabama, is served by three schools within the Mobile County district, educating roughly 1,900 students from high-poverty backgrounds, with free and reduced lunch rates between 77.6% and 85.85%.
For parents, the standout school in this area is Indian Springs Elementary School, which, despite having the smallest enrollment (305 students) and the lowest per-student spending ($8,708), achieves the best academic results. It ranks in the 22nd percentile statewide, far outpacing its peers, and posts a remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of just 5.3%. In 5th grade English, 60% of its students are proficient, nearly matching the state average. In contrast, Collins-Rhodes Elementary School is the most concerning, ranking in the 2nd percentile with a 17.3% chronic absenteeism rate and a critical 3.85% proficiency rate in 5th grade math. Mattie T Blount High School offers a mixed picture: it has the best attendance in the zip code (2.6% chronic absenteeism) and a strong 90.7% graduation rate, but its academic proficiency remains low, though it is showing dramatic year-over-year improvement, with English proficiency doubling to 15%.
Key takeaways for families include a clear disconnect between spending and achievement—Indian Springs spends the least but performs best—and a significant achievement gap in mathematics across all schools. While Blount High’s improvement trajectory is encouraging, the persistent struggles at Collins-Rhodes, particularly in math, highlight a critical need for early intervention. The elementary-to-high-school pipeline is a concern, as students arriving at Blount High are often already far behind state averages, yet the high graduation rate suggests a focus on retention over academic rigor. Overall, Indian Springs proves that strong outcomes are possible in this challenging environment, while the other schools underscore the need for targeted support.
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