Summary:
Semmes, Alabama, is served by a single public high school, Mary G Montgomery High School, a large institution (1,888 students) within the Mobile County district, offering grades 9-12.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Mary G Montgomery High School presents a mixed picture of strengths and challenges. The school's standout achievement is its graduation rate of 91.3%, which nearly matches the state average and significantly exceeds its district's rate of 85.9%. Academically, the school shows a clear strength in English, where its 11th-grade proficiency rate (33.73%) exactly matches the state average and outperforms the district (28.57%). Moreover, English proficiency improved dramatically by over 11 percentage points in a single year, signaling positive momentum. However, the school struggles considerably in mathematics and science. Only 15.08% of 11th graders are proficient in math, roughly half the state average (27.21%), and science proficiency (25.29%) also lags behind both district and state figures. This creates a "graduation vs. proficiency" paradox: students are graduating at high rates, but many may not be fully prepared for college-level STEM coursework.
Other key metrics to consider include a chronic absenteeism rate of 13.5%, slightly above state norms, and a student-teacher ratio of 17.9:1, which suggests larger class sizes. Nearly half of the student body (49.47%) qualifies for free or reduced lunch, indicating significant socioeconomic diversity. The school's overall ranking has improved from the 38th to the 45th percentile in Alabama, earning a 2-star rating. While the school outperforms its district in English and graduation, it underperforms in math and science, suggesting that targeted interventions in STEM subjects could be the key to lifting its overall performance. If the recent English gains can be replicated in other subjects, the school's trajectory looks promising.
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