Summary:
Zip code 36701 in Selma, Alabama, is served by three high schools—Selma High School, Southside High School, and Saints Virtual Academy—spanning grades 9-12 across the Selma City and Dallas County districts.
For parents, the standout school in this area is Selma High School, the largest with 680 students. It holds the highest state ranking (17th percentile), the best graduation rate at 86.6%, and the strongest test scores among the three—though still far below state averages. In contrast, Southside High School is the most at-risk, with the lowest ranking (6th percentile), the lowest graduation rate (78.3%), and the highest chronic absenteeism at 22.9%. Saints Virtual Academy is a unique virtual option with only 24 students and a 0% chronic absenteeism rate, but its graduation rate (71.4%) is the lowest, and its historical rankings have been in the bottom 8% of the state.
Key metrics reveal systemic challenges. In 11th-grade math, proficiency ranges from 3.85% at Southside to 6.8% at Selma High, versus a 27.21% state average. Science and English proficiency are similarly low. Free/reduced lunch eligibility is high across all schools—89.12% at Southside, 87.06% at Selma High, and 75% at Saints Virtual—indicating widespread economic need. Interestingly, Southside spends more per student ($13,183) than Selma High ($10,857) yet performs worse, suggesting funding alone doesn't solve outcomes. Selma High did show a positive trend, jumping from the 10th to 30th percentile in state ranking between 2023-2025 before settling at 17th, hinting at potential for improvement. Overall, these schools face a district-wide crisis, with both districts ranked in the bottom 12% of Alabama, requiring comprehensive community intervention.
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