Shelby County, AL - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Shelby County

Shelby County Schools is a large, public PK-12 district serving a broad swath of suburban and small-town communities south of Birmingham. It is one of just two districts that make up the county, and on the state’s academic proficiency index it sits above the midpoint among those two. That index, which averages proficiency rates across tested subjects and grades, gives the district a solid academic standing relative to the one other district in its county, though parents should note that “above the midpoint” among two districts is a narrow comparison.

The district’s state assessment results in English language arts are a clear strength. Across grades three through eight, the share of students scoring proficient runs from the upper sixties to the high seventies, with the strongest performance in grade five. Math proficiency is notably lower, with rates ranging from roughly a third of students in grades seven and eight to just over half in grades three and five. Science results, tested in grades four and eight, land in the middle, with proficiency near the midpoint of the district’s own ELA and math figures. A parent considering this district will want to look into math support, particularly at the middle-school level, where proficiency drops sharply.

On the chronic absenteeism rate, the district is in the bottom quartile among Shelby County's districts. This is a soft spot worth investigating directly with the school system, as high absenteeism can affect classroom pace and individual student progress. Per-pupil current spending sits in the lower range compared with the county’s other district, a fact that may matter to families weighing resource allocation.

The district’s enrollment runs well into the thousands, making it one of the larger systems in the region. It serves a single county that includes a mix of towns such as Alabaster, Calera, Chelsea, Columbiana, Helena, Montevallo, Pelham, and Vincent. Housing values vary noticeably across these communities. In some areas, typical home values sit at the higher end of the region, particularly around Chelsea and parts of unincorporated Birmingham that fall within the district. In towns like Montevallo, Calera, and Vincent, home values are lower. Rental rates show a similar spread, with the highest rents in Chelsea and the lowest in parts of Birmingham and Hoover. This range means the district contains both more-affordable entry points and pricier suburban enclaves.

Shelby County Schools operates roughly three dozen schools, including several comprehensive high schools, a career technical education center, and a small number of alternative or special-purpose programs such as New Direction and the STAR Program schools. The list includes elementary, intermediate, middle, and high schools spread across the county’s towns. The district offers a technical education center, which suggests career-focused pathways for high school students, though specific program offerings were not detailed in the available data.

The student body is predominantly white, with Black and Hispanic students making up real but smaller shares. Asian, multiracial, and other groups represent a modest presence. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, as well as counts of students with disabilities and English learners, were not provided. A parent seeking that information would need to check with the district directly.

Recent changes in the district were not identified in available public reporting. The data shows little in the way of major structural shifts, new initiatives, or leadership turnover that would alter a family’s decision in a lasting way.

For a family looking at a large, suburban-style Alabama district with strong elementary ELA results, a wide range of housing costs across its towns, and a clear need for stronger middle-school math performance, Shelby County Schools fits as a typical suburban public system with some internal variation by community and school. The absenteeism rate and the lower relative spending per student are worth a conversation with the school your child would attend.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

20,937

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 11%

Black 18%

White 66%

Asian 2%

Two+ 2%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

62%

87%

Gr 4

52%

80%

Gr 5

68%

90%

Gr 6

48%

77%

Gr 7

56%

79%

Gr 8

49%

75%

Math

Gr 3

41%

65%

Gr 4

34%

65%

Gr 5

37%

70%

Gr 6

26%

54%

Gr 7

19%

46%

Gr 8

18%

45%

Science

Gr 4

37%

66%

Gr 8

38%

69%

Schools in this District

33 schools are officially reported under this district.

Chelsea Middle School

Oak Mountain Middle School

Oak Mountain Intermediate School

Calera Elementary

Calera High

Chelsea High School

Columbiana Middle School

Shelby County High School

Helena Elementary School

Montevallo Elementary School

Montevallo High School

Montevallo Middle School

Shelby Elementary School

Vincent Elementary School

Vincent Middle High School

Wilsonville Elementary School

Oak Mountain High School

Career Technical Education Center

New Direction

Helena Intermediate School

Elvin Hill Elementary School

Inverness Elementary School

Linda Nolen Learning Center

Oak Mountain Elementary School

Chelsea Park Elementary School

Calera Middle

Mt Laurel Elementary School

Helena Middle

Forest Oaks Elementary School

Helena High School

Calera Intermediate School

STAR Program Elementary

STAR Program Middle

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

54%

Grade 3

51%

Grade 4

55%

Grade 5

41%

Grade 6

34%

Grade 7

34%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

75%

Grade 3

68%

Grade 4

80%

Grade 5

64%

Grade 6

69%

Grade 7

64%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

53%

Grade 4

56%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$315,840

Year-over-year change+2.1%

Range across 21 ZIP codes$245K to $584K

vs. state typical1.33x

vs. national typical0.86x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (21 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
35051	Columbiana	$323K	+2.3%	14.6%
35115	Montevallo	$245K	+2.1%	12.4%
35147	Sterrett	$325K	+1.3%	9.9%
35040	Calera	$256K	+1.1%	9.3%
35186	Wilsonville	$359K	+1.7%	7.9%
35178	Vincent	$255K	+4.4%	6.5%
35143	Shelby	$321K	+3.0%	6.3%
35080	Helena	$340K	+2.3%	6.3%
35078	Harpersville	$283K	+2.5%	6.2%
35043	Chelsea	$382K	+1.3%	6.1%

Showing top 10 of 21 ZIP codes by land area weight

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,775/mo

Year-over-year change+2.5%

Range across 12 ZIP codes$1,302 to $2,252/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (12 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
35115	Montevallo	$1,699	—	12.4%
35040	Calera	$1,672	+3.4%	9.3%
35080	Helena	$1,892	—	6.3%
35043	Chelsea	$2,252	—	6.1%
35242	Birmingham	$1,491	-0.7%	4.1%
35094	Leeds	$1,596	—	2.7%
35007	Alabaster	$1,795	+3.9%	2.6%
35244	Hoover	$1,344	-2.5%	0.5%
35022	Bessemer	$2,039	+11.1%	0.5%
35128	Pell City	$1,516	—	0.2%
35216	Vestavia Hills	$1,302	+1.9%	0.0%
35243	Birmingham	$1,816	+2.7%	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,594/mo

Home price / national median income3.8x

Annual rent / national median income25.4%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$181/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$236,705 (+1.2% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.