The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in English language arts. The lowest is 21% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Forest Hill Elementary School
Forest Hill Elementary School, a regular public school in Mobile, Alabama, serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Mobile County school system, which covers a sprawling urban and suburban district in the state's southern Gulf Coast region. Mobile itself is a mid-size port city with a strong industrial base—shipbuilding, aerospace manufacturing, and port operations dominate the local economy—and the school sits in a residential area west of the city's historic downtown core.
The student body is substantial for an elementary school. The school's enrollment is composed predominantly of Black students, with small shares of Hispanic, white, and multiracial students. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a community with high economic need. Information on special education and English learner populations was not available in the data provided.
Academically, the school's performance on the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program for the 2024–25 school year shows a notable pattern. Across all tested grades, English language arts proficiency reached roughly half or slightly more of students meeting benchmarks; the third and fifth grades posted somewhat higher rates than fourth grade. Mathematics proficiency was considerably lower: the share of students meeting math standards was below a third in every tested grade, with fourth grade results particularly soft. Science proficiency, tested only in fourth grade, fell at a similar low level to math. Because only a single year of assessment data is available, no trend can be described. The school's overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades positions it above the midpoint when compared to all districts in Mobile County—a relative strength within a local context where overall attainment varies widely. Still, the gaps between reading and math performance are wide enough that a parent considering the school would want to understand what math support and intervention programs are in place.
No data on chronic absenteeism or discipline was available. The school's grade band means there is no graduation rate to report. Programs such as gifted, career pathways, or specialized academies were not listed in the data; parents with specific enrichment interests may want to check directly with the school.
Housing in the surrounding area is modestly priced relative to national benchmarks. Typical home values and rents are lower than the national median, reflecting both the local economic base and the school's location within a large city where housing affordability varies by neighborhood. Mobile County has seen recent economic development activity and a major 2023 annexation that expanded the city's population, but the district itself reported no recent changes of lasting impact to school operations or boundaries.
Forest Hill Elementary is a high-need, majority-Black elementary school in a mid-size Southern port city. Its English language arts results are a clear bright spot; its math and science results are areas where the school is likely working to improve. The relative standing among county districts offers some context—better than many peers in the county—but that standing does not change the fact that a substantial portion of students are not yet meeting grade-level expectations in math and science. A parent evaluating this school would want to learn about the specific supports available for students who are behind, the stability of the teaching staff, and how the school engages families around academic progress. With limited program data and no trend lines, the best next step is a visit and a conversation with the principal.
See more original research from School Decision →