Satsuma City

Satsuma City is a small Alabama school district with just two schools—Robert E Lee Elementary (grades PK-6) and Satsuma High School (grades 7-12)—serving about 1,534 students in a suburban community near Mobile.

Satsuma High School is the district’s standout, earning a 5-star rating and ranking 33rd out of 380 high schools statewide (91st percentile). Its 97.3% graduation rate far exceeds the state average, and the school shines in science—8th graders post an 81.6% proficiency rate, a remarkable 27.5-point advantage over the state, while 11th graders also outperform state averages. By contrast, Robert E Lee Elementary holds a solid 4-star rating (81st percentile) but has slipped in rankings over three years (88th to 131st). The elementary school excels in English, with 3rd, 5th, and 6th grade proficiency rates 20+ points above state levels, but struggles in 4th grade math (41.18% proficient), the only subject-grade where it falls below the state average—a notable drop from the same cohort’s 3rd grade math performance.

Both schools share similar demographics, with free/reduced lunch rates around 45.5%, making performance differences less about socioeconomic factors and more about instructional focus. However, chronic absenteeism tells a different story: the elementary school’s rate (7.2%) is well below the state average, while the high school’s (16.2%) is 35% higher than the state—an unusual disconnect given its academic success. The district also shows efficiency, with the elementary school achieving strong results despite spending $1,194 less per student than the high school. For parents, the key takeaway is that Satsuma High School offers elite academics and a near-perfect graduation rate, while Robert E Lee Elementary provides excellent early literacy but needs attention in math and reversing its gradual ranking decline.