Summary:
Zip code 36736, encompassing Dixons Mills, Alabama, is served by a single school, Marengo High School, a small, rural alternative institution within the Marengo County district that serves students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Marengo High School is a school of stark contrasts. On one hand, it excels at keeping students engaged and on track to graduate. The school boasts a perfect 100% graduation rate (2023-2024) and an exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of just 2.6%, far better than the district (7.6%) and state (12.0%) averages. This is particularly notable given that nearly 87% of students come from low-income households. The school also maintains a favorable 13.1:1 student-to-teacher ratio and spends a solid $13,444 per student. On the other hand, academic proficiency is a major concern, especially in mathematics. While 3rd graders perform above the state average in math (60% vs. 44.89%), proficiency plummets in later grades, hitting 0% in both 7th and 11th grades. English Language Arts shows more resilience, with 5th and 7th graders exceeding state averages, but 11th graders also scored 0% in this subject.
The data reveals a "middle school cliff" in math, where students fall progressively behind, and a puzzling disconnect between high graduation rates and low test scores. This suggests that while the alternative environment successfully keeps at-risk students in school, it may not be ensuring they master grade-level academic content. The dramatic year-over-year score fluctuations also point to small class sizes, making single-year results unreliable. Ultimately, Marengo High School appears to be a supportive environment that solves attendance and persistence challenges, but parents should be aware that significant work is needed to improve academic rigor, particularly in secondary mathematics and English.
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