2024 Best Elementary Schools in Alabama

The Complete Guide to Elementary Schools in Alabama

The state of Alabama has over one thousand different elementary schools (1,105) spread across numerous cities and metropolitan areas, some of the largest being Birmingham, Mobile and Montgomery. That’s 7% more than the typical state, although on a per capita basis, Alabama ranks #38 in the nation, averaging about 10% fewer elementary schools than most states. However, this doesn’t mean school quality drops necessarily, it can actually mean the opposite at times.

As a whole, the average elementary school in the state earns a B grade, which is equal to the national average. Furthermore, of the 1,100+ elementary schools, just under half (43%) are rated above average. Still that leaves nearly 600 options (478) for the parent to evaluate - which can be an overwhelming endeavor. Narrowing that total down further, if you include only schools that rank in the top 25% of the nation, that total slims to 261. In other words, there’s still a couple hundred school options in Alabama that rank in the nation’s top quartile.

Are public elementary schools in Alabama a good option?

Alabama has 835 total public elementary schools, and of that total, traditional public schools comprise 95% or about 793 of them. That’s a large number, but for those with above average sights, just under half (46%) score above the national average, so nearly half wouldn’t qualify.

What is the best public elementary school in Alabama?

Based in Auburn, the best public elementary school in Alabama is Dean Road Elementary School. With 406 students and a student to teacher ratio of 16:1, the school has a 14% higher ratio than the typical US elementary school, which can equate to more teacher attention per student and often lead to better student learning outcomes. Dean Road Elementary wins out amongst nearly 800 other traditional public schools in the state (793). About 46% of all such schools are rated above the national average.

Key statistics about charter elementary schools in Alabama

Some ask, are charter schools in Alabama a good option? This really depends on your preference, but with only four different options (4 to be exact) there are limited potential fits for your youngster. Although far less prevalent than their traditional public school counterparts, the typical charter elementary school in Alabama scores a C+. Although the grade is subpar, this is certainly in part due to the fact that the state has 92% fewer charter schools per capita than the average state.

What is the best charter elementary school in Alabama?

The top ranked charter elementary school in Alabama is University Charter School. It’s located in Livingston, which sits close to the eastern border with the state of Mississippi. The school has 519 students and as you’d expect, is graded the highest A+ available. The school is known for exceptional quality, but should be noted that the average student to teacher ratio is 24:1, which is actually about 71% above the national average. This can mean that class sizes may grow large at times, so parents should be sure to ask about how the school copes with growing class sizes, while still maintaining a high degree of quality for students.

Everything you need to know about magnet elementary schools in Alabama

Despite being a smaller state, there are 38 magnet elementary schools in Alabama, placing the state 14th in the nation for magnet schools per capita. The school quality is much higher than the state average, with the median score being a B+. About 63% of the magnet elementary schools in the state are considered above the national average, which means there’s about 24 schools that might be an option for the high achiever.

What is the best magnet elementary school in Alabama?

Hailing from Tuscaloosa (also part of the greater Birmingham area) comes Tuscaloosa Magnet School - Elementary School, ranked as the best magnet elementary school in Alabama. The school is home to 292 students. It’s also worth noting that there are 15 students per every teacher at the school (15:1 ratio) which is 7% higher than the national average, so although class sizes tend to be larger than the average state, the difference is marginal.