Elementary Schools in Jefferson County

The Jefferson County school district in Alabama serves 30 elementary schools spanning grades PK-5, with enrollment ranging from just 111 students at West Jefferson Elementary School to 889 students at Fultondale Elementary School, and the district as a whole ranks at the 27th percentile statewide.

For parents, the standout school in this area is Bryan Elementary School, which ranks in the 88th percentile statewide with a 4-star rating and leads the district in nearly every subject—its 4th grade Science proficiency of 83.59% is more than double the district average, and it also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (4.9%) and the lowest free/reduced lunch percentage (25.54%). Other strong performers include Mount Olive Elementary School, which jumped to the 76th percentile with 4th grade Math proficiency at 76.74%, and Warrior Elementary School, which boasts the highest 5th grade English proficiency in the district at 91.21%. At the other end, Erwin Intermediate School ranks at the 2nd percentile with 3rd grade Math proficiency at just 8.67%, while UW Clemon Elementary School has declined to the 10th percentile.

Across the district, English proficiency consistently outpaces Math by roughly 20-25 percentage points, and the district trails state averages by 10-14 points in most subjects. Notably, higher spending does not guarantee better results—Lipscomb Elementary School spends the most per student ($12,868) yet ranks in the 34th percentile, while Bryan spends the least ($7,943) and achieves the top ranking. Chronic absenteeism is a concern, averaging 16.9% district-wide, with Center Point Elementary School at 22.9% compared to Concord Elementary School at just 2.3%. Some high-poverty schools defy expectations, including West Jefferson Elementary School, which jumped from the 41st to 69th percentile in one year, and Lipscomb, which achieves 56.25% 3rd grade Math proficiency despite a 73.76% free/reduced lunch rate.