The top reported proficiency rate is 85% in English language arts. The lowest is 68% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Arab Elementary School
Arab Elementary School serves third through fifth grade students in Arab, a small city set atop Brindlee Mountain in northeast Alabama. The school is part of the Arab City school district and is the only elementary school in the system for this grade band. Because it does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and state accountability data covers only the grades it actually tests.
On the Alabama ACAP assessments, which the state administered in the most recent school year, Arab Elementary posted results that stand well above typical levels for its region. In English language arts, the share of students meeting proficiency was substantial across all three grade levels, with the highest performance in third grade. Math proficiency was also strong, again with third grade leading the way, and fourth and fifth grade results also well above the midpoint. Science is tested only in fourth grade, and while that result was lower than the reading and math scores, it still landed at a level that would be considered solid in many contexts. When considered together, the school’s overall proficiency index placed it in the top tier when compared to other districts across Marshall County. Because only a single year of testing data is available in this set, there is no multi-year trend to examine; the picture is a snapshot rather than a trajectory.
The school serves an enrollment that is a moderate size for an elementary campus serving three grades. Just over half of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a share that reflects a community with a mix of economic backgrounds. Racially and ethnically, the student population is overwhelmingly white, with only small shares of Hispanic, Asian, multiracial, and Black students. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those support programs. Other areas such as discipline rates, staffing ratios, and course access are also absent from the available information, which limits a full picture of the school environment.
The city of Arab itself has a family-friendly, small-town character. Its business district runs along Main Street, and the city hosts annual events such as the Poke Salat Bluegrass Festival and Back When Day. Two large city parks provide athletic fields, a pool, and a community center. The closest major airport is Huntsville International, roughly a half-hour drive north. No public transit system was mentioned in local sources, and walkability is likely limited outside the downtown core. The population has grown modestly in recent years, and the city has participated in a state economic development program that emphasizes infrastructure and quality-of-life planning. Housing values in the area sit near the Alabama statewide typical figure, with modest annual appreciation. The local unemployment rate and median household income are near national norms.
The school district itself did not have any recent major changes reported in the search, so it appears to be operating on a stable footing without recent referendums, curriculum shifts, or boundary adjustments.
For a family considering Arab Elementary, the academic picture is the clearest strength. The school’s tested performance in reading and math is well above what is typical across Marshall County schools, and even the science result, while lower, is not weak. The community is small, family-oriented, and affordable relative to national averages. The lack of detail on student support services and school climate data means those are areas worth exploring directly with the school office. The student body is not highly diverse economically or racially, which may or may not be a factor in a family’s choice. On balance, this is a school with demonstrated strong academic outcomes in a stable, residential community that fits families looking for solid elementary instruction without the pace or complexity of a large urban or suburban district.
See more original research from School Decision →