Summary:
There are three elementary schools serving the 3,500+ residents of zip code 36854 in Valley, Alabama, offering a combined enrollment of roughly 1,617 students across Pre-K through 6th grade, split between the Lee County and Chambers County districts.
Beulah Elementary School is the clear academic standout, ranking in the 59th percentile statewide (278th of 686) and showing dramatic improvement over two years. Its 3rd grade math proficiency (65%) and English proficiency (80%) far exceed state averages, despite having the highest poverty rate (59.2% free/reduced lunch) and lowest per-student spending ($8,119) in the area. However, Beulah shows a troubling pattern: math proficiency plunges from 65% in 3rd grade to just 29.69% in 4th grade, suggesting a difficult transition or curriculum misalignment. Fairfax Elementary School sits in the 29th percentile with more consistent but modest scores, showing an inverted pattern where 4th grade math (34.78%) beats 3rd grade (25.33%), but 5th grade math collapses to just 13.6% proficiency. Bob HardingShawmut Elementary serves only PK-2 and has the lowest poverty rate (43.1%) but the highest per-student spending ($10,550), yet its 3rd grade scores from former students are the weakest in the zip code (22.81% math proficiency).
All three schools beat the state's 12% chronic absenteeism average, with Bob Harding-Shawmut leading at 7.4%. English proficiency is consistently stronger than math across all schools, pointing to math instruction as the key area for intervention. Beulah's rapid rise from the 33rd to 59th percentile proves that high-poverty schools can excel, while the spending disparity between Bob Harding-Shawmut and Beulah raises questions about resource efficiency. For parents, Beulah offers the strongest academics despite its funding challenges, while Fairfax provides stability and Bob Harding-Shawmut offers a specialized early education environment—though its long-term academic impact appears limited.
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