The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in English language arts. The lowest is 26% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Wc Griggs Elementary School
WC Griggs Elementary School is a regular public school in Mobile County, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is one of many elementary schools within the Mobile County school system, located in the city of Mobile on the Gulf Coast. The school is neither a charter nor a magnet, so it functions as a neighborhood attendance school for its area of the city.
The student body is large for an elementary school and reflects the broader demographics of Mobile. White students make up the largest share of enrollment, with Black and Hispanic students each representing sizable portions as well. A substantial share of students come from low-income households, as measured by eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch. The school does not report the share of students receiving special education services or those classified as English learners, so a parent interested in those support areas would want to ask the school directly about available programs and staffing.
Academically, the school’s performance in English language arts is a relative strength. In third and fourth grades, about half of students met proficiency standards, with a slightly smaller share reaching that level in fifth grade. Mathematics results are lower across the board, with the lowest proficiency seen in fifth grade. In fourth-grade science, just over a third of students scored proficient. When all subjects and grades are considered together, the school’s overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the school districts in Mobile County. That is a solid position for an elementary school serving a high-poverty population. Still, the math and science numbers are areas where a parent may want to look into what instructional supports or interventions the school provides.
Because this is an elementary school with no tested students beyond grade five, there is no graduation rate or college readiness data to consider. The school has no chronic absenteeism data reported in the current dataset, so it is not possible to assess attendance patterns from this source.
The surrounding community of Mobile offers a distinctive context. It is a mid-size port city, home to Alabama’s only deep-water port and a major industrial base including aerospace manufacturing and shipbuilding. The city has a historic French colonial origin, a well-known annual Mardi Gras celebration, and cultural institutions such as a symphony, opera, and ballet. Walkability is concentrated downtown along corridors like Dauphin Street, while most residential areas are car-dependent. The city grew significantly in 2023 through a large west-side annexation that increased its population and shifted its demographic makeup. That annexation reflects broader growth in the port and industrial sectors.
Housing in the area around the school is relatively affordable compared to national benchmarks, with typical home values below the state average and well below the national average. The local economy is anchored by the port, Airbus, shipbuilding, and healthcare, which together create a stable job market. The broader Mobile County school district has not reported any recent major changes that would alter a family’s decision about this school.
In sum, WC Griggs is a large, high-poverty neighborhood elementary school in a growing port city. Its English language arts results are a clear strength relative to its math and science scores, and its overall proficiency is competitive within the county. The gaps in reported data on special education, English learner services, and absenteeism mean that a family considering this school should follow up with the administration for a fuller picture of student support.
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