Dr Robert W Gilliard Elementary

Dr Robert W Gilliard Elementary is a large neighborhood school in Mobile, AL, serving 806 students in grades PK-5 within the Mobile County school district. The school serves a predominantly economically disadvantaged population, with nearly 87% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

Gilliard stands out for its strong math instruction, consistently outperforming district averages in 3rd and 5th grade math. In the most recent testing year, 42.37% of 3rd graders and 42.22% of 5th graders were proficient in math, compared to district rates of 35.39% and 34.06% respectively. The school has also made remarkable progress in attendance, cutting chronic absenteeism from a staggering 37.6% in 2022-2023 down to 12.1% in 2024-2025—now in line with the state average. Additionally, the school has shown dramatic improvement in serving special education students, jumping from the 17th percentile statewide to the 49th percentile over two years. Science remains a clear weakness, with only 30.83% of 4th graders proficient compared to 45.84% for the district and 50.23% statewide.

Compared to nearby schools, Gilliard sits firmly in the middle of the spectrum. It significantly outperforms struggling schools like George Hall Elementary, Maryvale Elementary, and Morningside Elementary, which all rank in the bottom 1% of the state. However, it cannot compete with the selective magnet programs at EicholdMertz School of Math and Science and W H Council Traditional School, both 5-star schools with far lower poverty rates. At $9,681 per student, Gilliard spends less than nearby struggling schools yet achieves notably better results, suggesting efficient use of resources. For a high-poverty neighborhood school, Gilliard is demonstrating that consistent effort and targeted interventions can produce respectable academic outcomes.