Saraland Elementary School

Saraland Elementary School serves 1,034 students in grades 2-5 in Saraland, AL, and is part of the highly-rated Saraland City district, which ranks 4th out of 139 districts statewide.

This school is a standout performer, consistently ranking in the top 4% of all elementary schools in Alabama over the past decade. In the most recent school year, it earned a 5-star rating and ranked 23rd out of 687 elementary schools statewide (97th percentile). What makes this achievement particularly impressive is that the school serves a student population where about half qualify for free/reduced lunch, yet its students outperform those at nearby schools by a wide margin. For example, in 5th grade math, 78.6% of Saraland students are proficient, compared to 49% at Robert E Lee Elementary in Satsuma, 27% at WD Robbins Elementary, and just 6% at Whitley Elementary. The school's excellence extends across all subjects, with 4th grade science proficiency at 82.76%—a 32.5 percentage point advantage over the state average. Even more remarkable is the school's consistency: it achieves top-tier results for every student subgroup, including low-income students (ranked 8th in the state), special education students (ranked 8th), and military-connected students (ranked 3rd).

Beyond academics, Saraland Elementary excels at keeping students in class. Its chronic absenteeism rate has been cut nearly in half over three years, from 11.5% to just 6.7%—well below the state average of 12%. The school also operates efficiently, achieving dramatically better results than nearby schools while spending less per student ($8,262) than lower-performing schools like Grant Elementary ($12,531). Students benefit from a strong feeder pattern with Saraland Early Education Center, which helps ensure they arrive with solid foundational skills. While the school has seen a slight dip from its peak ranking of 9th in 2021-2022, it remains an exceptional choice for families seeking a high-quality education in the Saraland area.