The top reported proficiency rate is 63% in English language arts. The lowest is 26% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Pelham Park Middle School
Pelham Park Middle School serves students in sixth through eighth grade and is part of the Pelham City School District. The school sits in Pelham, a suburban city in Shelby County roughly a half-hour’s drive south of Birmingham along the I-65 corridor. Pelham has grown significantly as development has pushed south from the metro area, and the community today blends residential neighborhoods in the foothills of Oak Mountain with commercial strips along Highway 31 and the interstate. The city’s major employers span healthcare, education, retail, and hospitality, with recreational anchors such as Oak Mountain State Park, a civic complex with ice rinks, and a public golf course. The area is auto-oriented, with limited walkability, and the school draws from the surrounding suburban and semi-rural neighborhoods.
The student body is diverse. Just over half of students are white, roughly three out of ten are Hispanic, and about one in six are Black. Asian students represent a small share, and a small number of students identify as two or more races or as Native American. Around half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which means the school serves a middle-income population with a significant share of families who have lower household incomes. The school is a regular public school and does not operate as a charter or magnet. Data on the share of students with disabilities or those who are English learners was not available.
State test results from the 2024-25 school year give a mixed picture. In English language arts, proficiency rates are solid across all three grades. Seventh graders hit a level that is encouraging, sixth graders performed stronger still, and eighth graders came in a bit lower but still ahead of where math and science scores land. The math results are a softer spot. Sixth graders show a proficiency rate that is moderate, while seventh and eighth graders are at much lower levels. Eighth grade science results are in between, with a share of students meeting the bar. Taken together, the school’s overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom quartile relative to other school districts in Shelby County. That comparison set is small—only three districts—so the range is narrow, but the position is worth noting. A family considering this school may want to ask the school directly about its math curriculum, intervention strategies, and how it supports students who are below grade level.
Because Pelham Park Middle School serves only grades six through eight, there is no high school graduation rate to report. That metric simply does not apply here.
The school environment and access data, including discipline rates, course access, staffing ratios, and attendance figures, were not available. The district brief turned up no recent changes of lasting note that would affect a family’s decision.
For a family evaluating this school, the main draw is a suburban middle school with solid English language arts results and a racially and economically diverse student body. The math scores leave room for improvement, and a parent would want to understand what academic supports are in place. Pelham itself offers a growing community with good access to outdoor recreation and a moderate cost of housing relative to national benchmarks, though the area is car-dependent and lacks a traditional downtown core. This school fits a family that prioritizes a diverse peer environment, strong reading and writing instruction, and a suburban location, and who is comfortable engaging with the school about its math performance.
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