Summary:
Gulf Shores City is served by a single elementary school, Gulf Shores Elementary School, which educates 1,230 students in grades PK through 5 and anchors the highly-ranked Gulf Shores City district, rated 12th out of 139 districts in Alabama.
As the only elementary school in the area, Gulf Shores Elementary School is a clear academic standout, consistently outperforming state averages in every subject and grade level. In the 2025-2026 school year, English proficiency is exceptionally strong, with 4th grade at 83.51% and 5th grade at 82.3%, compared to state averages of 59.53% and 69.53% respectively. Science is a particular strength, with 4th grade proficiency at 74.47%, a remarkable 24.24 percentage points above the state average. The school also shows a strong upward trajectory, improving its state ranking from 128th in 2023-2024 to 98th in 2025-2026. While Math proficiency (ranging from 55% to 63%) is lower than English and Science, it still exceeds state averages by 10 to 20 percentage points, making it a potential area for future focus.
Despite 35.37% of students being economically disadvantaged, the school maintains a low chronic absenteeism rate of 6.1%, less than half the state average of 12.0%, indicating strong family engagement and a positive school culture. With a student-teacher ratio of 17.8, the school provides a supportive learning environment. Since this is the district's only elementary school, its performance directly drives the district's 5-star rating and top-12 ranking, making it an excellent choice for parents seeking a high-performing, consistently improving school in the Gulf Shores area.
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