The top reported proficiency rate is 57% in English language arts. The lowest is 25% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Kate Shepard Elementary School
Kate Shepard Elementary School serves prekindergarten through fifth grade in the Mobile County public school system, and it functions as a neighborhood school with a clear set of academic results that families may want to weigh carefully. The school is located in Mobile, a port city that serves as a regional economic hub for the Gulf Coast with major employers in aerospace manufacturing, shipbuilding, and healthcare. Mobile’s character mixes a historic downtown core with sprawling car-dependent residential suburbs, and a recent west-side annexation has increased the city’s population and shifted its demographic profile. The school sits within this broader city context rather than in a separate small town.
The student body is diverse, with the largest single group being Black or African American students, followed by white students, and smaller shares of students who are Hispanic or identify as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with significant economic need. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and no Title I status was provided for it. Because the school does not serve high school grades, no graduation rate data is available.
On state assessments from a recent school year, performance varied noticeably by subject and grade level. In English language arts, third and fifth graders reached a level of proficiency that most observers would consider above average for a school with this demographic profile, while fourth graders had a more modest showing. In math, the pattern was less consistent, with third and fifth graders scoring at a moderate level and fourth graders at a notably lower level. Science results for fourth graders were also on the low side. Looking across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency sits above the midpoint among districts in Mobile County. The school’s multi-year trend data is limited to a single year, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent an improvement or decline over time.
Parents considering this school should be aware that math and science proficiency are areas where the school appears to be struggling more than in literacy. The combination of a relatively high poverty rate and below-average math and science scores is a pattern that warrants a conversation with the school’s leadership about what supports are in place. The school has a typical elementary grade span, so families seeking middle or high school options will need to look at the feeder patterns within Mobile County.
The housing context surrounding the school is moderate by national standards. Home values in the area are a bit below the national median and have seen a recent dip, while rents are lower than in many parts of the country, which may make the area more accessible for some families. The unemployment rate is near the national average, and median household income for the country as a whole has been trending gradually upward.
No information was available about the school’s specific programs, such as gifted education, arts offerings, or after-school activities, so families interested in enrichment should ask the school directly. The district brief for Mobile County did not reveal any recent significant changes to policies or boundaries that would affect this school. Kate Shepard Elementary is best understood as a school with clear strengths in reading for some grades and clear challenges in math and science, located in an economically diverse city with a stable but not booming housing market.
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