Summary:
Zip code 36877 is home to a single high school, Smiths Station High School, which serves grades 9-12 in the Smiths Station area of Alabama and is part of the Lee County school district.
Smiths Station High School is showing a remarkable upward trajectory, recently earning a 4-star rating and jumping to the 71st percentile in state rankings—a significant improvement from the 52nd percentile just a year prior. This leap is backed by strong academic gains across all subjects, with science proficiency surging by 13.6 percentage points to 40.53%, now exceeding both the district and state averages. English proficiency also improved to 33.88%, outpacing the district by over 4 points. The school's graduation rate is a bright spot at 93.2%, surpassing both the district and state averages. Notably, the school achieves these results while serving a student population where nearly 39% qualify for free or reduced lunch, and it now outperforms its district in all three tested subjects.
However, there are areas of concern. Mathematics remains the weakest subject, with only 25.6% proficiency—still below the state average of 27.21%, though the gap has narrowed significantly. More pressing is the chronic absenteeism rate of 17.4%, which is 5.4 points higher than the state average and could threaten the sustainability of recent academic gains. With a student-teacher ratio of 15.6:1, the school operates with moderate resources, yet its strong performance suggests effective instructional strategies are in place. For parents, this is a school on the rise with clear momentum, but one that needs to address attendance challenges and continue focusing on math to ensure long-term success.
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