The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Abrams Elementary School
Abrams Elementary School, a regular public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Bessemer, Alabama, operates under the Bessemer City school district. Its student body of just over two hundred children is predominantly Black, with a substantial Hispanic minority and a very small number of white and multiracial students. The school serves a high-poverty community, with a large majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals.
State test results from the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program show that across all tested grades, a minority of students met proficiency in mathematics. The share was somewhat higher in English language arts, where roughly two out of five students reached the proficient level across grades three through five. In fourth-grade science, about a quarter of students scored proficient. These figures place Abrams’s overall proficiency index above the midpoint when compared with other elementary schools relative to all districts in Jefferson County, though the absolute rates are modest. No multi-year trend data are available because the assessment series began in the current school year; the single point of data establishes a baseline for future comparisons.
Because Abrams serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism data were not reported. Information on special education identification and English learner status is also missing from the available records, so a parent may wish to discuss these supports directly with the school.
Bessemer itself is a mid-sized city in southwestern Jefferson County, roughly fifteen miles southwest of Birmingham. It was built as a steelmaking and industrial center, drawing on local iron ore and coal deposits, and has diversified since the decline of that industry. The city now hosts employers such as Amazon (a large fulfillment center), Medical West Hospital, Dollar General, Amsted Rail, and U.S. Pipe. The population has been declining over recent decades, following a peak earlier in the twentieth century, and the city faced a severe economic crisis in the 1980s when unemployment exceeded one-third of the workforce. Recent efforts by the chamber of commerce and industrial development board have sought to attract new investment.
Housing in the area is inexpensive compared with state and national benchmarks, and rents are moderate for the region. The built environment is spread out and car-dependent, with the city covering more than forty square miles. Downtown Bessemer retains a historic courthouse and a handful of well-known restaurants, including The Bright Star and Bob Sykes BBQ, but residential neighborhoods and most commercial corridors sit along Interstate 59/20. A campus of Lawson State Community College is located in the city, and the school system operates several elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school spread across the area.
The district profile shows no major recent changes in curriculum, facilities, or tax policy that are publicly documented. For a family considering Abrams Elementary, the central academic picture is that of a school serving a high-need population with state test results that are low in absolute terms, though slightly above the midpoint in its county comparison. English language arts outcomes are notably stronger than math outcomes. The peer environment reflects the demographics of the surrounding community. The housing market offers some of the most affordable options in the Birmingham region, and the city’s economic base has been slowly diversifying. Families looking for a traditional elementary program in a stable, low-cost setting may find this a reasonable option, though they will want to explore current instruction, student support services, and any enrichment offerings directly with the school leadership.
See more original research from School Decision →