Summary:
Mount Olive, Alabama, is home to a single public school, Mount Olive Elementary School, which serves students in grades PK through 5 and is part of the Jefferson County school district.
For parents considering this area, Mount Olive Elementary School stands out as a high-performing school despite its district's overall low ranking. The school has earned a 4-star rating and ranks in the top 24% of schools statewide, while its home district is rated just 1 star and sits in the bottom 27% of Alabama districts. This disconnect suggests the school's success is driven by local strengths—likely strong leadership, a positive school culture, and an engaged parent community—rather than district-wide resources. Academically, the school excels in English Language Arts, with proficiency rates ranging from 70% to 78% across grades 3 through 5, all well above state averages. Math performance is solid but more varied, with a notable spike in 4th grade (76.74% proficient) compared to 3rd (44.9%) and 5th (54.35%) grades, possibly reflecting a particularly effective teacher or targeted intervention. Encouragingly, math scores have improved significantly year-over-year, suggesting recent curriculum changes are working.
Beyond test scores, the school benefits from a relatively advantaged student body: only 29% of students receive free or reduced lunch, and the chronic absenteeism rate is just 9.2%—far better than the district (16.9%) and state (12.0%) averages. The student-teacher ratio is 16.8:1, typical for an elementary school. Per-student spending was $9,915 in 2018-2019, the most recent data available. Overall, Mount Olive Elementary School offers a strong, stable learning environment with excellent attendance, low poverty levels, and standout literacy outcomes, making it an attractive option for families in the Mount Olive area.
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