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Gardendale Elementary School

Q: Is Gardendale Elementary School a good school?

Gardendale Elementary School ranks 243 rd of 686 Alabama elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

243^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 686 Alabama Elementary Schools

Better than 65% of Alabama elementary schools

Summary

Gardendale Elementary School serves approximately 700 students from Pre-K through 5th grade in Gardendale, AL, and is part of the Jefferson County school district. The school has earned a consistent 3-star rating for nearly a decade, with its state ranking climbing from the 50th percentile in 2017-2018 to the 65th percentile (243rd out of 686 schools) in 2025-2026—a clear sign of steady improvement.

Academically, Gardendale Elementary shines compared to its district peers. In math, proficiency rates range from 42% to 48% across grades 3-5, which is roughly 15-20 percentage points higher than the district average. English Language Arts is a particular strength, with 5th grade reaching 75% proficiency—nearly 6 points above the state average. The school also posts remarkably low chronic absenteeism at just 8.3%, less than half the district rate of 16.9%. When compared to nearby schools, the contrast is stark: Erwin Intermediate School (6.95 miles away) and Fultondale Elementary School (3.7 miles away) rank in the bottom 15% of Alabama schools, with math proficiency in the single digits to low teens. Meanwhile, Mount Olive Elementary School (4.06 miles away) has recently surpassed Gardendale in rankings, and Snow Rogers Elementary School (2.99 miles away) is closely competitive.

One of the school's most notable achievements is its exceptional performance with African American students, ranking in the 79th percentile statewide (4 stars)—a remarkable feat that has improved consistently over three years. However, there are areas for attention: performance with economically disadvantaged students sits in the 46th percentile, and special education scores dropped from the 67th to 43rd percentile in the latest year. A persistent gender gap also exists, with female students outperforming males. Despite these challenges, Gardendale achieves strong results with relatively efficient spending ($8,994 per student) and a student-teacher ratio of 19.4:1. For parents, this school represents a stable, improving option within a district that ranks in the bottom third of Alabama—a genuine success story worth considering.

700

Students ?

19.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,994

Per pupil spending ?

38.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

860 Bauers Ln
Gardendale, AL 35071-2698

(205) 379-3550

District: Jefferson County

Students who attend Gardendale Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Bragg Middle School
High:	Gardendale High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

48.6%

African American:

35.9%

Hispanic:

8.3%

See top rated Alabama elementary schools

Compare Gardendale Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 71st percentile in 2016 → 65th in 2026

Strengths

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Jefferson County

✓Above the Alabama median (65th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 6 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school58%

District avg41%

Alabama avg53%

243^rd of 686

Alabama public elementary schools ?

Top 35%▼ down 6 pts since 2016

From top 29% (2016) to top 35% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alabama Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 26Elementary Schools in the Jefferson County

101^st of 139Jefferson County among Alabama districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	63.6	243 of 686	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	65.3	228 of 680	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.1	221 of 684	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	60.6	259 of 680	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	59.5	272 of 687	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	60.9	254 of 692	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	56.2	301 of 681	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	53.1	343 of 680	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2017	62.5	235 of 688	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2016	67.4	201 of 691	70.9%	★★★★☆
2015	56.8	269 of 691	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2014	62.3	242 of 695	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2013	75.4	99 of 696	85.8%	★★★★☆
2012	76.1	116 of 696	83.3%	★★★★☆
2011	77.9	88 of 709	87.6%	★★★★☆
2010	80.7	65 of 704	90.8%	★★★★★
2009	76.5	107 of 696	84.6%	★★★★☆
2008	81.0	69 of 698	90.1%	★★★★★
2007	74.6	142 of 698	79.7%	★★★★☆
2006	81.1	80 of 689	88.4%	★★★★☆
2005	84.6	56 of 688	91.9%	★★★★★
2004	70.9	150 of 623	75.9%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	69.0	90 of 429	79.0%	★★★★☆
2025	65.9	109 of 427	74.5%	★★★★☆
2024	62.6	116 of 420	72.4%	★★★★☆
2023	52.3	172 of 427	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	47.7	192 of 426	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	51.8	164 of 426	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	50.3	178 of 426	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	51.5	194 of 423	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2017	31.3	239 of 336	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	64.9	221 of 652	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	65.7	207 of 649	68.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	63.6	219 of 650	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.2	218 of 645	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	66.4	196 of 656	70.1%	★★★★☆
2021	61.8	229 of 656	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.8	260 of 646	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	58.8	278 of 640	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	58.5	254 of 639	60.3%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2024	52.0	79 of 196	59.7%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	48.4	361 of 668	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	50.3	336 of 660	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.0	381 of 670	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	51.6	306 of 623	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	37.2	423 of 651	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.9	342 of 653	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	41.2	401 of 649	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.9	421 of 651	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2017	31.1	428 of 567	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	59.5	267 of 660	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	62.8	245 of 651	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.4	242 of 655	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.0	290 of 649	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	48.9	347 of 669	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	57.4	264 of 669	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.4	323 of 650	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	47.9	372 of 650	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2017	64.0	201 of 639	68.5%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	50.9	53 of 97	45.4%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	40.3	229 of 403	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	57.5	135 of 403	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	43.3	199 of 395	49.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	40.3	223 of 373	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	33.0	232 of 345	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	17.1	384 of 398	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	55.3	138 of 392	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	39.0	200 of 344	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	39.1	155 of 280	44.6%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	60.5	177 of 500	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	64.0	181 of 532	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.5	183 of 535	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	57.8	203 of 528	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	59.0	196 of 540	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	56.4	207 of 539	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	49.3	257 of 529	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	40.4	319 of 508	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	55.3	144 of 369	61.0%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2026)79th percentile+14 vs school

Female (2026)66th percentile~ school

White (2026)65th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2024)60th percentile-8 vs school

Male (2026)60th percentile-5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)46th percentile-19 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)45th percentile-21 vs school

Special Education (2026)43rd percentile-21 vs school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

English71%+6 vs state

Science54%+4 vs state

Mathematics46%+4 vs state

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a citizen
Tuesday, July 5, 2016

The teaching staff that Stamp a child's arm, should be arrested for assault. They're vile bullies and should never be allowed anywhere near children. Close Quote

Schools Near Gardendale Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				Summative Assessment Mathematics (2026)						Summative Assessment Science (2026)		Summative Assessment English (2026)						Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Summative Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 8th Grade	Summative Assessment English 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment English 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 5th Grade	Summative Assessment English 6th Grade	Summative Assessment English 7th Grade	Summative Assessment English 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Gardendale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	860 Bauers Ln	Gardendale	35071	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	No	(205) 379-3550	700	36	19.4	38.4%	340 (48.6%)	251 (35.9%)	58 (8.3%)	20 (2.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.1%)	63.6	243^rd of 686 public elementary schools	64.6%		65.3	228^th of 680 public elementary schools	66.5%	15	47.1	42.1	47.8				54.2		71.8	64.8	75.4				$8,994	$631	$8,343
Snow Rogers Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2636 Snow Rogers Rd	Gardendale	35071	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	No	(205) 379-5400	389	24	15.9	37.3%	288 (74.0%)	58 (14.9%)	28 (7.2%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.1%)	61.1	268^th of 686 public elementary schools	60.9%		66.9	219^th of 680 public elementary schools	67.8%	49	44.1	40.0	33.9				60.9		75.0	67.1	73.2				$9,888	$1,367	$8,485
Fultondale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	950 Central Ave	Fultondale	35068	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 379-3450	889	43	20.4	65.0%	161 (18.1%)	389 (43.8%)	302 (34.0%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (3.6%)	15.5	587^th of 686 public elementary schools	14.4%		13.9	597^th of 680 public elementary schools	12.2%	10	21.6	15.5	12.5				21.0		49.2	36.5	54.4				$10,126	$2,233	$7,874
Mount Olive Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1301 Brookside Rd	Mount Olive	35117	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	No	(205) 379-4900	286	17	16.8	29.0%	243 (85.0%)	16 (5.6%)	13 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	11 (3.8%)	73.9	162^nd of 686 public elementary schools	76.4%		63	245^th of 680 public elementary schools	64.0%	83	44.9	76.7	54.4				55.8		70.0	76.7	78.3				$9,915	$1,614	$8,271
Tarrant Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	1269 Portland St	Tarrant	35217	Jefferson County	Tarrant City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 841-7541	307	18	17.0	76.9%	5 (1.6%)	136 (44.3%)	156 (50.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	5 (1.6%)	3 (1.0%)								(n/a)															$11,779	$2,309	$9,465
Tarrant Intermediate School	Public	3-6	1 Wildcat Drive	Tarrant	35217	Jefferson County	Tarrant City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 849-0168	404	22	18.3	77.5%	8 (2.0%)	180 (44.6%)	199 (49.3%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	5 (1.2%)	8 (2.0%)	11.5	629^th of 686 public elementary schools	8.3%		10.2	636^th of 680 public elementary schools	6.5%	7	15.3	28.9	18.1	6.2			21.1		29.4	36.7	38.6	17.3			$9,871	$2,281	$7,585
Sun Valley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1010 18th Ave NW	Birmingham	35215	Jefferson County	Birmingham City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 231-5740	678	33	20.5	76.3%	2 (0.3%)	647 (95.4%)	22 (3.2%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.9%)	18.7	566^th of 686 public elementary schools	17.5%		15.7	579^th of 680 public elementary schools	14.9%	13	23.6	18.9	13.7				17.9		53.6	50.0	45.8				$10,599	$1,279	$9,318
Inglenook School	Public	PK, KG-8	4120 Inglenook Street	Birmingham	35217	Jefferson County	Birmingham City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 231-3310	312	14	22.2	79.2%	5 (1.6%)	211 (67.6%)	88 (28.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.3%)	3 (1.0%)	6.1	674^th of 686 public elementary schools	1.7%		12.2	620^th of 680 public elementary schools	8.8%	54	27.5	0.0	7.1	2.8	0.0	0.0	8.6	17.2	26.3	20.0	25.0	25.0	22.2	20.7	$10,391	$1,715	$8,673
Hudson KEight School	Public	PK, KG-8	3300 F L Shuttlesworth Dr	Birmingham	35207	Jefferson County	Birmingham City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 231-3000	580	30	19.3	87.1%	3 (0.5%)	471 (81.2%)	94 (16.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	10 (1.7%)	4.5	684^th of 686 public elementary schools	0.3%		4.8	675^th of 680 public elementary schools	0.7%	9	12.1	0.0	14.0	1.4	1.6	4.1	5.7	20.0	27.3	15.4	31.0	14.9	25.8	21.3	$11,971	$2,759	$9,210
Erwin Intermediate School	Public	3-5	532 23rd Ave NW	Center Point	35215	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 379-3350	510	25	20.4	82.2%	7 (1.4%)	427 (83.7%)	70 (13.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.2%)	7.2	669^th of 686 public elementary schools	2.5%		11	628^th of 680 public elementary schools	7.6%	41	8.7	8.1	9.0				17.2		30.0	22.8	49.2				$9,859	$2,310	$7,526

Frequently Asked Questions about Gardendale Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Gardendale Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Gardendale Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bragg Middle School
High : Gardendale High School

What is the racial makeup of Gardendale Elementary School?

Students at Gardendale Elementary School are 49% White, 36% African American, 8% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

Is Gardendale Elementary School a good school?

Gardendale Elementary School ranks 243^rd of 686 Alabama elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Gardendale Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 700 students attended Gardendale Elementary School.

What district is Gardendale Elementary School in?

Jefferson County

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Latest Alabama data All new data »

2025–26 Summative Assessment scoresNewAug 14, 2026

2024–25 attendance data & graduation ratesDec 27, 2025

2024–25 Summative Assessment scoresAug 14, 2025

2021–22 through 2023–24 attendance data & graduation ratesDec 2, 2024

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Alabama State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.