Summary:
Zip code 36908, serving the Gilbertown area in rural Alabama, is home to just two schools within the Choctaw County school district: Southern Choctaw Elementary School (grades PK-6) and Southern Choctaw High School (grades 7-12). With a combined enrollment of just under 500 students, this is a small, tight-knit educational community where roughly three-quarters of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating a predominantly low-income population.
There is a clear divide in academic performance between the two campuses. Southern Choctaw Elementary School is the clear standout, showing strong early-grade results and significant momentum. Its 3rd grade English proficiency (72.73%) and 4th grade science proficiency (59.38%) both exceed state averages, and the school jumped from the 28th to the 40th percentile in state rankings. In contrast, Southern Choctaw High School struggles academically, particularly in math, where proficiency rates fall to single digits in 7th and 8th grades. Despite this, the high school maintains a strong 93.1% graduation rate and also improved its ranking dramatically, climbing from the 10th to the 33rd percentile.
For parents, the key takeaway is that this district offers a solid elementary foundation that unfortunately fades as students transition to middle and high school. The elementary school's success in science and early English suggests effective instruction that could be replicated. However, the high school faces serious challenges, including a 19.4% chronic absenteeism rate—nearly double the state average—and spends over $1,900 more per student than the elementary school while achieving weaker results. The positive news is that both schools are on an upward trajectory, and the district's small class sizes (16:1 elementary, 20:1 high school) allow for personalized attention. Parents should monitor the middle school transition closely and consider advocating for additional math support and attendance initiatives at the secondary level.
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