Summary:
Zip code 36605 in Mobile, AL is served by 10 schools within the Mobile County district, including six elementary schools, one middle school, and three high schools, enrolling roughly 4,594 students in a predominantly low-income area where free/reduced lunch rates range from 69% to 91%.
For parents, the standout elementary school is Dr Robert W Gilliard Elementary, which posts the strongest academics in the area despite having the largest enrollment (806 students) and a higher student-teacher ratio. Its 5th grade English proficiency (65.9%) exceeds the district average, and its 3rd grade math (42.4%) nearly matches the state. In contrast, George Hall Elementary is a serious concern—ranked in the 1st percentile statewide with math proficiency around 6% across all grades, including a 0% proficiency in 5th grade math the prior year. Hollingers Island Elementary shows strong English results (69% in 5th grade) but a puzzling 42-point drop in 4th grade English year-over-year. Among secondary schools, Ben C Rain High School is the best traditional high school, with an 89.7% graduation rate and consistent year-over-year improvement in math, science, and English. Lillie B Williamson High School and Pillans Middle School struggle significantly, especially with math proficiency falling to near-zero by 7th grade.
Across the zip code, English proficiency consistently outpaces math at every school and grade level, pointing to math instruction as the critical weakness. Chronic absenteeism rises sharply with school level—elementary schools range from 8.9% to 16.4%, but middle and high schools exceed 26%, with Ben C Rain at 32.1%. Notably, there is no correlation between per-student spending and outcomes; Gilliard outperforms schools spending more per pupil. While all schools rank in the bottom third of Alabama, the relative success of Gilliard and the improvement at Ben C. Rain demonstrate that progress is achievable despite concentrated poverty, offering a roadmap for the rest of the area.
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