Mattie T Blount High School

Mattie T Blount High School serves 1,058 students in grades 9-12 in Eight Mile, Alabama, a community within the Mobile County school district, where about 78% of students come from low-income households.

Blount has made remarkable progress in recent years, particularly with student attendance. Chronic absenteeism has plummeted from nearly 59% in 2021-2022 to just 2.6% today—far better than the district average of 12.8% and the state average of 12%. This turnaround has coincided with a strong graduation rate of 90.7%, which exceeds the district's 85.9% and nearly matches the state's 91.5%. The school also shines when it comes to supporting students with special needs, ranking in the top 15% of Alabama high schools for this group. While academic proficiency remains a challenge—only about 10% of 11th graders are proficient in math and 15% in English—these numbers have more than doubled in just a few years, showing a clear upward trend. The school's overall state ranking has climbed from the bottom 4% in 2021-2022 to the 20th percentile today.

Compared to nearby schools, Blount's situation is mixed. Saraland High School, just under five miles away, ranks in the top 6% statewide with proficiency rates three to four times higher, though it serves a much wealthier population. However, when compared to schools with similar poverty levels like CF Vigor High School and John L Leflore Magnet School, Blount outperforms both in graduation rates and most academic subjects. The school also achieves these results while spending less per student than those comparable schools. Blount appears to be a school in transition—it has solved its attendance and graduation challenges and is now working to accelerate academic growth, making it a promising option for families who value persistence and support for all learners.