Summary:
The 36856 zip code area is home to two elementary schools - Mt Olive Primary School and Mount Olive Intermediate School, both part of the Russell County school district. While the primary school serves grades PK-2 and the intermediate school serves grades 3-5, the data reveals some notable differences between the two institutions.
Mt Olive Primary School has a relatively high chronic absenteeism rate of 14.8% and a free/reduced lunch rate of 59.91%, while spending less per student at $8,494 compared to the intermediate school. In contrast, Mount Olive Intermediate School has maintained a consistent 2-star rating from SchoolDigger and has shown stronger academic performance, particularly in English language arts, outpacing the district and state averages. However, the intermediate school serves a more economically disadvantaged student population, with a free/reduced lunch rate of 68.55%.
Interestingly, the intermediate school has seen a decline in its statewide ranking over the past three years, dropping from 248 out of 680 elementary schools in 2022-23 to 370 out of 680 in 2024-25. This trend warrants further investigation, as the higher spending per student at $9,863 may be a contributing factor to the school's stronger academic outcomes compared to the primary school.
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