Summary:
Zip code 35043 in Chelsea, Alabama, is home to two elementary schools—Chelsea Park Elementary School and Forest Oaks Elementary School—both serving grades K-5 within the highly-rated Shelby County district, which ranks in the 79th percentile statewide.
For parents, the standout choice is Chelsea Park Elementary, which consistently earns a 4-star rating and ranks in the top 15% of all Alabama elementary schools. Its math performance is particularly impressive, improving from 52.5% proficiency in 3rd grade to 65.8% in 5th grade—a trend that defies the typical decline seen in upper grades. By contrast, Forest Oaks Elementary shows more volatility, bouncing between 3 and 4 stars over three years, and its math proficiency drops sharply from 52.4% in 3rd grade to 44.4% in 5th grade, a 21-point gap compared to Chelsea Park by 5th grade. Both schools excel in English, with 5th-grade proficiency above 81% versus the state average of 69.5%, and both have remarkably low chronic absenteeism (4.5% and 5.8%, well below the state's 12%). Forest Oaks did post a standout 16-point improvement in 4th-grade science, jumping from 44.6% to 61.1% proficiency.
Demographically, the schools are nearly identical—about 30% of students at each qualify for free/reduced lunch—yet Chelsea Park outperforms Forest Oaks in most metrics, suggesting instructional quality or school culture drives the difference. Interestingly, Forest Oaks spends $478 more per student ($9,435 vs. $8,957) but achieves less, while Chelsea Park serves nearly 50% more students (891 vs. 606) with a slightly better student-teacher ratio (16.2:1 vs. 16.7:1). Both schools beat state averages in nearly every subject, so families in this area have two solid options, though Chelsea Park offers more consistent, higher-level performance, especially in math.
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