Minor Elementary School

Minor Elementary School is a PK-5 school in the Ensley neighborhood of Birmingham, AL, serving 441 students as part of the Birmingham City district. The school has faced significant academic challenges, ranking in the bottom 10-13% of Alabama elementary schools over the past decade, but recent data reveals several encouraging trends worth noting.

Mathematics remains the school's biggest challenge, with proficiency rates declining as students advance—from 27% in 3rd grade to just 15% in 5th grade. However, the 3rd grade math score represents a remarkable one-year jump from 12.8% to 27.1%, now exceeding the district average. English Language Arts is a relative strength, with 5th grade reading proficiency (48%) nearly matching the district average and showing steady improvement over two years. The school's Special Education program has been a standout success, climbing from the 7th to the 42nd percentile statewide—a dramatic improvement suggesting effective interventions that could be replicated schoolwide. Chronic absenteeism has also been cut in half since 2022, dropping from 36.6% to 17%, though it remains higher than nearby schools like Princeton School (0.5%) and Washington K8 (3.7%).

The contrast with Princeton School, located just 1.27 miles away, is striking—Princeton ranks in the 87th percentile with 88% 3rd grade reading proficiency and a 13:1 student-teacher ratio, compared to Minor's 41% and 18.3:1. Minor spends more per student ($12,293) than most nearby schools, suggesting funding alone isn't the answer. The school's declining free/reduced lunch rate (from 90% to 80% in two years) and improving special education outcomes offer hope. For parents, the most promising signs are the 3rd grade math gains, steady reading improvement, and the school's demonstrated ability to move the needle on attendance and special education—all suggesting that with continued focus, particularly on upper-grade math and absenteeism, Minor is capable of meaningful progress.