Summary:
Zip code 36874 in Salem, Alabama, is served by a single public elementary school, Wacoochee Elementary School, which enrolls 574 students in grades PK through 6 as part of the Lee County school district.
Wacoochee Elementary is a consistently high-performing school, earning a 4-star rating for three consecutive years and climbing from the 73rd to the 80th percentile in state rankings. Its greatest strength is English/Language Arts, where proficiency rates run 7 to 14 percentage points above state averages—most notably in 5th grade, where 83.33% of students are proficient. Mathematics is also a strong suit in most grades, with 3rd and 4th graders outperforming the state by roughly 18 and 21 points, respectively. The school also stands out for its low chronic absenteeism rate of 8.6%, which is well below both the district (12.4%) and state (12.0%) averages, even though 42.86% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. This suggests strong family engagement and a positive school culture.
The most encouraging trend is the dramatic improvement in 3rd grade math, which jumped from 46.15% to 62.65% proficiency in one year—a 16.5-point gain that may reflect new instructional strategies or interventions. However, there is one notable concern: 5th grade math proficiency fell sharply from 63.38% to 47.62%, a decline of nearly 16 points, and this is the only major drop in the data. English scores in 4th grade also dipped slightly, but remain above state averages. Overall, Wacoochee Elementary outperforms its district in nearly every subject and grade, making it a strong educational option for families in the Salem area. The main area for targeted attention is 5th grade math, while the school’s literacy program and early-grade math gains are clear bright spots.
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