Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 36869

There are three elementary schools serving grades K-5 (with one offering pre-K) in zip code 36869, which covers the Phenix City area of Alabama, and these schools collectively serve a student population with significant economic diversity, as reflected in free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 62.69% to 83.23%.

For parents comparing schools in this area, Meadowlane Elementary School stands out as the smallest school (155 students) with the most dramatic academic improvement, particularly in mathematics where proficiency rates jumped by 20-24 percentage points across all grade levels from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, with 5th grade math now exceeding the state average. This school also has the lowest student-teacher ratio (12.9:1) and serves the highest percentage of economically disadvantaged students (83.23%), suggesting that smaller class sizes may be driving these gains. Meanwhile, Ladonia Elementary School demonstrates exceptional English Language Arts performance, with 3rd grade English proficiency reaching 76.19% in 2024-2025 and 5th grade English at 72.86% in 2025-2026, both well above state averages, and it also leads in 4th grade science (50.85%). Ridgecrest Elementary School, the largest school with 722 students, faces more challenges with lower math proficiency scores, though it shows promising improvement trends in both 4th and 5th grade math and nearly reached the state average in 5th grade English.

All three schools maintain chronic absenteeism rates below the state average of 12%, with Ridgecrest notably at 8.6% compared to its Phenix City district average of 15.1%. A notable spending disparity exists, with Ridgecrest spending $8,520 per student compared to $11,465 at Ladonia and $11,221 at Meadowlane, which may partially explain performance differences. English Language Arts appears to be a relative strength across all schools compared to mathematics, and while Russell County ranks lower as a district (94th of 139) than Phenix City (82nd), Ladonia outperforms both Phenix City schools in several metrics, highlighting that individual school leadership and programs can matter more than district-level rankings.