Summary:
Zip code 36542 is home to one elementary school, Gulf Shores Elementary School, which serves grades PK through 5 and enrolls 1,230 students in the Gulf Shores, Alabama area.
Gulf Shores Elementary School is the sole elementary school in the Gulf Shores City district, which holds a 5-star rating and ranks 12th out of 139 districts in Alabama. The school has shown consistent improvement in its state ranking, climbing from 128th in 2023-2024 to 98th in 2025-2026. Academically, the school outperforms state averages across all subjects and grade levels. In the most recent school year, 4th grade science proficiency reached 74.47%—a 24-point advantage over the state—while 4th grade English hit 83.51% proficiency, nearly 24 points above the state average. Mathematics scores are also strong, with 4th and 5th graders exceeding 59% proficiency, roughly 20 points above state averages.
Year-over-year data reveals significant gains in STEM subjects, with 4th grade science improving by 12.47 percentage points and 5th grade math improving by 7.07 points. English remains a core strength, though 5th grade English saw a slight 3.14-point decline, still finishing 13 points above the state. The school serves a moderately diverse economic population, with 35.37% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, yet chronic absenteeism is just 6.1%—about half the state rate of 12.0%. The student-teacher ratio is 17.8:1. Notably, math proficiency jumps significantly between 3rd and 4th grade (55.08% to 63.30%), suggesting effective instructional scaffolding in upper elementary. Overall, Gulf Shores Elementary School delivers a well-rounded, high-performing education with strong literacy programs and rapidly improving science and math outcomes, supported by excellent attendance and district leadership.
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