The top reported proficiency rate is 62% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Grantswood Community School
Grantswood Community School is a regular public elementary school in Birmingham, Alabama, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Jefferson County school district, a countywide system that covers many communities around the city. The school sits in a residential area of Birmingham’s eastern side, not far from commercial corridors. Families should note that while the address is Birmingham, this school is not part of the Birmingham City Schools system but rather the larger Jefferson County district.
Academically, Grantswood Community School presents an uneven picture that parents will want to weigh carefully. Overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades lands above the midpoint when compared with other Jefferson County schools. That is a solid relative position in a county with many districts. However, the composition matters. Reading and language arts results are a clear strength: across the three tested grades, the share of students meeting proficiency is solidly above half, with an especially strong showing in fifth grade. Schoolwork and assignments in literacy appear to be on relatively firm ground.
Mathematics tells a different story. Proficiency rates in math are considerably lower than in ELA, and the fifth-grade math result is notably low. Only about a third of third and fourth graders met proficiency in math, and the fifth-grade figure is even lower. A parent considering this school may want to ask what math interventions and supports are in place, particularly as students move toward the upper elementary grades. Science results, available for fourth grade only, sit roughly in the middle ground between the two core subjects.
Because the assessment data covers just one year, it is not possible to see a trend. The school may be improving or declining, but that information is not yet available from public sources.
The student body at Grantswood is diverse. A substantial majority of students are Black, with notable shares of Hispanic and White students and small percentages of Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and multiracial students. Just over half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a community with moderate economic need, though not uniformly low-income. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available from the state; a parent could ask the school directly about these populations and the supports offered.
Housing in the school’s zip code carries a price tag somewhat above the state median home value. Rents are also above typical for Alabama. That suggests the immediate neighborhood around the school is not the most affordable part of the Birmingham area, though prices remain well below national averages. The broader Birmingham economy is anchored by healthcare, banking, and higher education. The city’s population has declined gradually over the past decade, but the metropolitan area remains the largest in Alabama.
No information was reported about program offerings such as gifted education, art, music, or after-school activities. The school’s website or a direct inquiry would be the next step for a family wanting to know about these. Discipline rates, chronic absenteeism, and staffing ratios were also absent from the available data.
Grantswood Community School fits a family looking for a neighborhood elementary school within the Jefferson County system that offers a diverse peer environment and moderately above-average overall test performance for the county. The literacy results are a clear draw. The math results, especially at the fifth-grade level, are a soft spot that merits a conversation with the school. Because this is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate or advanced course access to consider. The school’s size is typical for its grade band, large enough to have grade-level peers but small enough that individual attention is plausible.
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