Top Rankings
Shelby County School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Alabama for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 20%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 10%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 7 public preschools serving 2,184 students in Shelby County School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 9/10, which is in the top 20% of public pre schools in Alabama.
Public Preschools in Shelby County School District have an average math proficiency score of 56% (versus the Alabama public pre school average of 34%), and reading proficiency score of 65% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 28% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the Alabama public preschool average of 48% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (AL)
# Schools
33 Schools
596 Schools
# Students
20,638 Students
285,320 Students
# Teachers
1,280 Teachers
17,073 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Shelby County School District, which is ranked within the top 20% of all 145 school districts in Alabama (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 95% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#18 out of 145 school districts
(Top 20%)
(Top 20%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
41%
30%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
60%
47%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
48%
38%
Graduation Rate
95%
88%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.54
0.63
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
2%
1%
% Hispanic
12%
11%
% Black
18%
30%
% White
65%
52%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $12,609 in this school district is less than the state median of $12,875. The school district revenue/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,639 is less than the state median of $12,097. The school district spending/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$260 MM
$9,671 MM
Spending
$240 MM
$9,086 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,609
$12,875
Spending / Student
$11,639
$12,097
Best Shelby County School District Public Preschools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Oak Mountain Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 75-79%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
5640 Cahaba Valley Rd
Birmingham, AL 35242
(205) 682-5230
Birmingham, AL 35242
(205) 682-5230
Gr: PK-3 | 675 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 24%
Rank: #22.
Inverness Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 75-79%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
5251 Valleydale Rd
Birmingham, AL 35242
(205) 682-5240
Birmingham, AL 35242
(205) 682-5240
Gr: PK-3 | 563 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: #33.
Wilsonville Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 65-69%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
71 School St
Wilsonville, AL 35186
(205) 682-6640
Wilsonville, AL 35186
(205) 682-6640
Gr: PK-5 | 229 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 15%
Rank: #44.
Shelby Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
19099 Highway 145
Shelby, AL 35143
(205) 682-6630
Shelby, AL 35143
(205) 682-6630
Gr: PK-5 | 242 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 13%
Rank: #55.
Vincent Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
40800 Highway 25
Vincent, AL 35178
(205) 682-7320
Vincent, AL 35178
(205) 682-7320
Gr: PK-5 | 397 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 33%
Rank: #66.
Linda Nolen Learning Center
Special Education School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
2280 Highwy 35
Pelham, AL 35124
(205) 682-5800
Pelham, AL 35124
(205) 682-5800
Gr: PK-12 | 78 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Minority enrollment: 42%
Rank: n/an/a
Star Program Elementary School
Alternative School
2280 Highway 35
Pelham, AL 35124
(205) 682-5800
Pelham, AL 35124
(205) 682-5800
Gr: PK-5
Recent Articles
AI Report Cards: Should Schools Evaluate AI Use?
Explore whether schools should assess student AI use, the benefits, risks, and what responsible AI report cards could look like in 2026.
The Parent’s Guide to School Cell Phone Bans in 2026
Learn how school cell phone bans work in 2026, why districts are adopting them, and what parents should expect.
Parental Involvement in Public Schools: 2026 Update
Explore the latest 2026 trends, research, and strategies shaping parental involvement in public schools and student success.
