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Excellent

#336 of 1,356 schools in AL

Top 25% in state

Cora Castlen Elementary

Elementary School · Mobile County · Grand Bay, AL

A Mobile County elementary school where students score 18 points above what's typical for similar communities.

9960 School House Rd, Grand Bay, AL 36541

  • Math 41% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 89% vs AL 87% (2024)
  • 19.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.0Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.99 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics8.8Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency41% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency88.6% (2024 ACAP)
Reading vs. State Avg+5.8 pts
Overall Proficiency65% (2024 ACAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2024 ACAP)
vs. Expected+18.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile82th
Resources & Environment4.2Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio19.3:1
District spending per student$13,245
Chronic Absenteeism26.7%

Students at Cora Castlen Elementary score 65% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 ACAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. AL average.

Math Proficiency41%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency89%(2024 ACAP)
School
State
87%(2024 ACAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 41 points since 2020, reaching 89% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
83%
ELA
86%
2010
Math
87%
ELA
91%
2011
Math
83%
ELA
89%
2012
Math
84%
ELA
92%
2013
Math
32%
ELA
33%
2014
Math
37%
ELA
35%
2015
Math
52%
ELA
43%
2016
Math
51%
ELA
42%
2017
Math
67%
ELA
52%
2018
Math
67%
ELA
53%
2019
Math
67%
ELA
53%
2020*
Math
33%
ELA
63%
2021*
Math
33%
ELA
63%
2022
Math
41%
ELA
59%
2024
ELA
89%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 58% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 65% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 30 test records from AL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

64.4%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Cora Castlen Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 22Car-Dependent
  • Bike 35Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average260/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$76,622

Median home value

$164,200

Median rent

$919/mo

College educated

14%

Homeownership

86.7%

Poverty rate

9.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 36541; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Breitling Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.9PK–52.3 mi460Compare →
Anna F Booth Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.9PK–54.3 mi412Compare →
Dauphin Island Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.8K–5Not available58Compare →
Eicholdmertz School of Math and ScienceEnrollment path unverified9.5PK–5Not available511Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Mobile County

Schools in district
92
Rank in district
#10 of 87
District spending per student
$13,245NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
20.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Cora Castlen Elementary is listed in Mobile County; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Cora Castlen Elementary

Cora Castlen Elementary is a public elementary school in Grand Bay, AL, part of Mobile County, serving approximately 424 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 19.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10 and ranks #336 of 1,356 schools in AL. State assessment records show 58% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 65% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Cora Castlen Elementary

What grades does Cora Castlen Elementary serve?

Cora Castlen Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Cora Castlen Elementary?

Cora Castlen Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 424 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Cora Castlen Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Cora Castlen Elementary is 19.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Cora Castlen Elementary rank in AL?

Cora Castlen Elementary ranks #336 of 1,356 schools in AL.

What is Cora Castlen Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Cora Castlen Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Cora Castlen Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Cora Castlen Elementary has 58% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 65% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Cora Castlen Elementary a charter school?

No, Cora Castlen Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Cora Castlen Elementary a Title I school?

No, Cora Castlen Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Cora Castlen Elementary?

64.4% of students at Cora Castlen Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
424
Student-Teacher Ratio
19.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
22
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Mobile County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
26.7%
Area population (ZIP 36541)
16,353
Area average commute
34.3 min
Area median age
39.2
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 ACAP · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 36541; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022, multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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