Summary:
Zip code 35987, encompassing the Steele, Alabama area, is served by a single elementary school, Steele Elementary School, which educates students in grades PK through 6 within the St Clair County district.
For parents, Steele Elementary School stands out as a small, high-performing rural school with just 141 students and a favorable 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio. The school’s greatest academic strengths are in English Language Arts and Science, where it consistently outperforms both district and state averages. For example, 6th-grade English proficiency reached 78.57% in 2025-2026, a remarkable 21.8 points above the state average, while 4th-grade science proficiency hit 81.25%, a 31-point advantage over the state. Perhaps its most impressive statistic is a chronic absenteeism rate of just 1.5%, which is eight times better than the state average and indicates a strong culture of attendance. The school has earned a 4-star rating and ranks in the 71st percentile statewide, showing an upward trajectory from a 3-star rating two years prior.
However, there is one significant area of concern: 5th-grade math proficiency dropped dramatically to just 18.75% in 2025-2026, a 25-point decline from the previous year and 20 points below the state average. This stands in stark contrast to 6th-grade math, which improved to 50% proficiency. Given the small enrollment, this could be a cohort-specific issue rather than a systemic problem, but it warrants attention. With 54.61% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, the school serves a predominantly low-income population yet still achieves above-average results in most subjects. Overall, Steele Elementary School demonstrates that a small, community-focused school with excellent attendance can deliver strong academic outcomes, though parents should be aware of the math challenges in 5th grade.
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