Best Public Schools in Pelham, AL

The city of Pelham, Alabama, is served by 5 schools—two elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, and one alternative school—collectively educating roughly 3,522 students across Pre-K through 12th grade, with the schools split between the Pelham City and Shelby County districts.

For parents, the standout is Pelham High School, which ranks in the 84th percentile statewide, holds a 4-star rating, and posts a 95.8% graduation rate—well above the state average. Its test scores lead the district in every subject, especially science (42.8% proficient vs. 36.2% statewide). At the elementary level, Pelham Ridge shines in English, with 79.3% of 5th graders proficient—the highest single-subject rate in the area—while Pelham Oaks performs similarly in most subjects despite having a higher share of students on free/reduced lunch. The clear outlier is Linda Nolen Learning Center, an alternative school with a 5.2:1 student-teacher ratio and $129,631 per-student spending, but also a 44.6% chronic absenteeism rate—nearly four times the state average—reflecting its specialized, high-need population.

The most pressing concern is Pelham Park Middle School, which has slipped from the 73rd to 60th percentile in state rankings over three years and lost its 4-star rating. Math proficiency there drops sharply by grade: 30.3% in 6th, 20.9% in 7th, and just 14.6% in 8th—a 52% decline—while English stays stable around 62%. Elementary schools show a similar split: English scores run 20–30 points above state averages, but math lags behind (e.g., 34.1% vs. 39.1% at 5th grade). Chronic absenteeism is excellent at the elementary level (4–5%), but the middle school’s decline and the high school’s volatile year-over-year math scores (jumping from 27% to 40% proficiency) suggest cohort effects and curriculum shifts rather than steady progress. Overall, the district earns a solid 4-star rating, but parents should watch middle school math closely.