Summary:
The four elementary schools serving the 36701 zip code in the Selma, AL area—Edgewood Elementary School, Valley Grande Elementary School, Meadowview Elementary School, and Bruce K Craig Elementary School—serve roughly 1,240 students from Pre-K through 6th grade across two districts: Selma City and Dallas County. All four schools serve predominantly low-income populations, with free/reduced lunch rates between 76% and 89%, and all rank in the bottom third of Alabama elementary schools.
If you're comparing schools, Meadowview Elementary School is the clear standout. Despite having the second-highest poverty rate (76.35%), it posts the strongest overall academics: 3rd grade math proficiency (40.91%) is more than double the Selma City district average, and 4th grade English hits 56.76% versus the district's 33.33%. Valley Grande Elementary School also shines in early grades—its 3rd grade English proficiency (68.97%) actually exceeds the state average, and its 3rd grade math (43.1%) is near the state norm. However, Valley Grande's performance drops sharply by 5th grade (math falls to 9.43%), and it has a concerning chronic absenteeism rate of 17.6%, well above the state's 12.0%. Edgewood Elementary School struggles significantly, with 3rd grade math at just 9.52% and 4th grade science at 15.56%. Bruce K Craig Elementary School faces the toughest challenges, ranking in the bottom 5% statewide and posting 0% proficiency in 4th grade science—though it has the best attendance record in the group (4.6% chronic absenteeism).
Key takeaways for parents: school-level factors matter more than district policies, as evidenced by the wide gap between Meadowview and Edgewood despite being in the same district. Science proficiency is universally low across all four schools, with even the best (Meadowview at 38.89%) falling well below the state average of 50.23%. Per-student spending doesn't predict success—Meadowview spends the most ($10,109) and performs best, but Valley Grande spends the least ($8,689) and still achieves strong early-grade results. Finally, all schools show declining proficiency as students advance, suggesting academic gaps widen over time. If you're choosing between these schools, Meadowview offers the strongest overall track record, while Valley Grande shows promise in early grades but needs attention to attendance and later-grade performance.
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