The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on South Shades Crest Elementary School
South Shades Crest Elementary School is a regular public school in Hoover, Alabama, part of the Hoover City district. It serves pre-kindergarten through second grade, making it one of the district’s early elementary buildings. For a school with this grade band, state testing does not currently apply to its students, and the available academic results come from earlier years when the school appears to have served older elementary grades. The testing data reported is from the 2017–18 school year, for third and fourth grades, and shows that in both math and English language arts the share of students scoring proficient was above the midpoint among Jefferson County districts according to an overall proficiency index. That comparison is drawn from a single year of data, and a parent should clarify with the school how that older information relates to today’s program, since the school’s current grade configuration does not include the tested grades.
The student body is diverse in composition. White students make up a little over half of enrollment. Asian students account for a notable share, and Black students are close to a fifth of the population. Hispanic students and students identifying as two or more races round out the rest. About one in five students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. Counts for students with disabilities and English learners were not reported in the data reviewed, so a parent may want to ask about those support populations directly.
Hoover is a large suburban city that has grown rapidly over recent decades. It is car-dependent, built around interstate highways and large shopping complexes. The Riverchase Galleria, office parks, and corporate facilities anchor the local economy. Major employers include Regions Bank, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, AT&T, and the school district itself. Housing values in the school’s zip code are above the state and national benchmarks, and rents are priced accordingly. The city lacks a traditional walkable downtown; civic facilities and schools are spread across the suburban grid. The district, Hoover City Schools, did not have any significant recent changes publicly reported that would affect this school in particular.
Because South Shades Crest Elementary is an early primary school, there is limited academic output data to evaluate. There were no chronic absenteeism or discipline statistics provided, nor details on staffing ratios or program offerings such as gifted education or intervention services. The neighbor comparison is based on older test results, so it reflects the school as it was a number of years ago, not necessarily the current early-grades experience. Families considering this school will likely want to visit in person, ask about kindergarten readiness and early literacy programs, and inquire about the school’s current approach to assessment and learning support for its young students. The Hoover district as a whole is known for its size and resources, but at this individual school level the available evidence is thin, and the grade span itself means that the typical measures of school performance do not directly apply.
See more original research from School Decision →