Inglenook School

Inglenook School is a PK-8 school in Birmingham, AL, serving 312 students in the Birmingham City district, where the majority of families qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Inglenook is currently facing significant academic challenges, ranking in the 2nd percentile statewide. Math proficiency is critically low, with 0% of 4th, 7th, and 8th graders meeting state standards in the most recent testing year. This is far below the district average (e.g., 0% vs. 21% in 4th grade math). English Language Arts scores are relatively stronger, particularly in 3rd grade (26% proficient), but still trail district averages. The school has also seen a sharp decline in performance for all student subgroups over the past two years. One notable comparison is with Phillips Academy, just 3 miles away, which ranks in the 65th percentile and posts dramatically higher scores (e.g., 72% 7th-grade math proficiency vs. 0% at Inglenook). While Inglenook's chronic absenteeism rate (16.7%) is a concern, it is actually lower than several nearby schools like Hudson KEight School (32.1%) and Hayes K8 (30.4%). Per-student spending is comparable to peers, suggesting the issue is not funding levels.

There is one encouraging trend: 3rd-grade math proficiency has improved steadily over four years, from 4.88% to 27.5%. However, the school experiences a severe "middle school cliff," with math scores dropping to 0% by 7th and 8th grade. This pattern is more pronounced than at other PK-8 schools in the area. The student-to-teacher ratio (22.2) is also higher than most nearby schools, which may impact student support. For parents, this data suggests that while early-grade literacy shows some relative strength and 3rd-grade math is improving, the school faces substantial hurdles in upper grades, particularly in mathematics.