Summary:
Zip code 25555 is home to a single school, Prichard Elementary School, a small rural school serving grades PK-5 with 130 students and a favorable 13:1 student-teacher ratio, part of the Wayne County Schools district.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Prichard Elementary is a school of striking contrasts. Its overall state ranking has declined sharply, now sitting at 290th out of 355 schools (18th percentile, 1 star) for 2025-2026, down from 215th the prior year. In core subjects, proficiency is below state averages: Math sits at 28.1% (state: 39.4%) and ELA at 31.6% (state: 47.6%). However, the school has a remarkable bright spot in 5th-grade Science, where 56.3% of students are proficient—more than 20 points above the state average (34.6%) and the school's own highest-scoring subject by a wide margin. This science score has been identical for two consecutive years, suggesting a stable, effective program. The school also shows a dramatic "4th-grade slump": 3rd-grade Math proficiency is 45.8% (near the state's 54.4%), but 4th-grade Math plummets to 11.7% (state: 49.2%), and ELA drops from 33.3% in 3rd grade to 17.5% in 4th grade. This pattern points to a possible issue with the 4th-grade curriculum or a challenging cohort, rather than a school-wide systemic problem.
Financially, the school spends $11,247 per student, a significant investment that does not appear to translate into strong Math or ELA outcomes, suggesting funds may be directed elsewhere or that socio-economic factors play a larger role. Overall, Prichard Elementary is a school of extremes—excelling in Science, struggling in 4th-grade core subjects, and showing that success is highly dependent on specific teachers or grade-level teams. Parents should expect an uneven academic experience, with a clear need for targeted support in Math and ELA, especially in 4th and 5th grades, while celebrating the school's standout science program.
Thank you for your feedback!