Bernice J Causey Middle School, Mobile AL

Original Research by School Decision on Bernice J Causey Middle School

Bernice J Causey Middle School serves grades six through eight in Mobile, part of the Mobile County district. The school sits in a city that functions as a regional economic hub for the Gulf Coast, shaped by the Port of Mobile, aerospace manufacturing, shipbuilding, and healthcare. Mobile’s downtown core concentrates entertainment and civic life, while the city’s large geographic footprint means most residential areas, including the schools spread across the county, are car-dependent.

Causey is a mid-sized middle school for this grade band. The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Black student population, a smaller Hispanic share, and modest Asian and multiracial groups. Just over half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a meaningful portion of families face economic strain. The school runs as a regular public school and is not a charter or magnet. Special population data, such as the share of students with individualized education programs or English learner status, was not available in the reporting used here.

On state assessments from the most recent year, Causey’s results show a clear split between subjects. In English language arts, the school posts solid proficiency rates across all three grades, with a combined rate that lands well above the midpoint among districts in Mobile County. Science testing, which occurs only in eighth grade, also produces a result that is stronger than typical for the county. Math is the notable soft spot: proficiency rates decline steadily from sixth through eighth grade, and the combined math result sits below the midpoint of the county’s districts. A parent considering Causey will want to follow up on math instruction and support, particularly for students who may need extra help before high school.

Because this is a middle school, there is no graduation rate to report, nor data on chronic absenteeism or discipline findings from the civil rights collection. The data covers one academic year, so there is no multi-year trend available to say whether math scores have been improving or weakening over time.

The housing and rental market in the school’s zip code has a typical-for-the-region character. Home values and rents are broadly aligned with national patterns for a mid-size Southern city, with a modest year-over-year rent decrease and a stable mortgage rate environment at the time of this report. The area’s affordability picture is a practical consideration for families deciding where to settle.

For a family evaluating Causey, the academic picture is mixed. The school demonstrates real strength in English and science, performing above the typical level for its county peers. Math achievement is a clear area where the school lags, and a parent concerned about math preparation would want to ask about interventions, curriculum, and how the school supports students who are not yet proficient. The school’s size means a large peer group, which some families prefer for social and extracurricular breadth, while others may prefer a smaller setting. Mobile’s economic base and recent annexation growth mean the city is in a period of demographic and economic change, something a family moving into the area may want to weigh alongside the school’s specific academic profile.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 636%

School 36% · District 25% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 727%

School 27% · District 19% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 824%

School 24% · District 18% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 662%

School 62% · District 49% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 764%

School 64% · District 53% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 865%

School 65% · District 52% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Science

Grade 855%

School 55% · District 40% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

This schoolMobile County, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income53%Higher-income75%22 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income50%Higher-income79%29 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income53%Higher-income77%24 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income27%Higher-income49%23 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income14%Higher-income43%29 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income17%Higher-income32%15 pp gap