Elementary Schools in Arab City

The two elementary schools in Arab City, Alabama, serve a combined 1,297 students across grades PK-5 and are part of a district ranked 7th out of 139 in the state, with both schools consistently outperforming state averages.

For parents, the standout takeaway is that both schools are high performers, but they excel in different ways. Arab Elementary School (grades 3-5) is the academic powerhouse, ranking in the top 7% of all Alabama elementary schools for three consecutive years. Its proficiency rates are exceptional: 5th-grade English hits 87.88% versus the state's 69.53%, and 4th-grade math reaches 80.21% compared to the state's 42.07%. Meanwhile, Arab Primary School (grades PK-2) shines in student engagement, with a chronic absenteeism rate of just 3.1%—far below the state's 12.0%. Interestingly, Arab Elementary has an even lower rate at 1.9%, showing that engagement persists as students age. Both schools serve a notable share of students from lower-income households (39-46% free/reduced lunch), yet still achieve top-tier results, suggesting effective support for all learners.

One key difference is spending: Arab Primary invests more per student ($8,396 vs. $7,777 at Arab Elementary), a common strategy for early-grade foundational support. This investment appears to pay off, creating a seamless pipeline where students arrive at Arab Elementary well-prepared. The only relative weak spot is 5th-grade math at Arab Elementary (67.68% proficiency), which, while still far above the state average (39.06%), lags behind the school's other subjects. Overall, this two-school model—strong early investment followed by rigorous academics—explains the district's 5-star rating and makes both schools excellent choices for families.