Gulf Shores Middle School

Gulf Shores Middle School in Gulf Shores, AL, serves 591 students in grades 6 through 8 and is part of the highly-rated Gulf Shores City district, which ranks in the top 10% of all districts in Alabama.

This school is a consistent academic powerhouse, ranking in the 90th percentile or higher statewide for the past five years. Its most impressive strength is its exceptional support for students from low-income backgrounds, who ranked in the 97th percentile statewide—a top-tier performance that outpaces the school's already-strong overall ranking. The school also excels with its Hispanic students, who ranked in the 95th percentile. Attendance is another standout: only 3.6% of students are chronically absent, compared to 11.5% at Fairhope Middle School, 11.8% at Elberta Middle School, and 14.5% at Foley Middle School. In science, 8th graders hit a 77.23% proficiency rate, far above the state average and competitive with the best schools in the area.

While the school's math scores dipped in 2023-2024, they rebounded strongly—7th-grade math proficiency jumped from 38.2% to nearly 55% in just two years, suggesting effective instructional changes. Notably, Gulf Shores achieves these results with a higher student-teacher ratio (19:1) than nearby schools like Fairhope (15.8:1) and Elberta (14.9:1), indicating a highly efficient model. The school does face a challenge: performance for African American students declined significantly in 2023-2024, a data point worth monitoring. Still, with its top-tier rankings, low absenteeism, and strong STEM foundation, Gulf Shores Middle School stands as a clear leader in the region, far outpacing Foley Middle School, which lags in the 53rd percentile.