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Below Average

#1132 of 1,356 schools in AL

Orchard Elementary School

Elementary School · Mobile County · Mobile, AL

A Mobile County elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 5th.

6400 Howells Ferry Rd, Mobile, AL 36618

  • Math 13% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 62% vs AL 87% (2024)
  • 22.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.1Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-4.18 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics5.8Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency13% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency61.9% (2024 ACAP)
Reading vs. State Avg-20.9 pts
Overall Proficiency37% (2024 ACAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)36% (model expectation from 2024 ACAP)
vs. Expected+1.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile41th
Resources & Environment1.7Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio22.5:1
District spending per student$13,245
Chronic Absenteeism34.2%

Students at Orchard Elementary School score 37% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 36%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 ACAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. AL average.

Math Proficiency13%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency62%(2024 ACAP)
School
State
87%(2024 ACAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 45 points since 2020, reaching 62% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
80%
ELA
81%
2010
Math
93%
ELA
96%
2011
Math
81%
ELA
80%
2012
Math
84%
ELA
88%
2013
Math
28%
ELA
18%
2014
Math
32%
ELA
22%
2015
Math
32%
ELA
22%
2016
Math
40%
ELA
20%
2017
Math
31%
ELA
28%
2018
Math
49%
ELA
40%
2019
Math
49%
ELA
40%
2020*
Math
4%
ELA
29%
2021*
Math
4%
ELA
29%
2022
Math
13%
ELA
40%
2024
ELA
62%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 44% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 47% (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

82.9%

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 Orchard Elementary School 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 8Car-Dependent
  • Bike 25Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,430/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Mobile), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

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

Median income

$59,075

Median home value

$155,500

Median rent

$1,102/mo

College educated

29.4%

Homeownership

74.1%

Poverty rate

19.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 36618; 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
John Will Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.0PK–51.3 mi510Compare →
Augusta Evans SchoolEnrollment path unverified3.0PK–121.6 mi192Compare →
Al-iman Academy of MobilePrivate · tuition6.2privatePK–122.7 mi112Compare →
Forest Hill Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.4PK–52.8 mi485Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Mobile County

Schools in district
92
Rank in district
#56 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

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

About Orchard Elementary School

Orchard Elementary School is a public elementary school in Mobile, AL, part of Mobile County, serving approximately 585 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 22.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 out of 10 and ranks #1,132 of 1,356 schools in AL. State assessment records show 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 47% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Orchard Elementary School

What grades does Orchard Elementary School serve?

Orchard Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Orchard Elementary School?

Orchard Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 585 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Orchard Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Orchard Elementary School is 22.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Orchard Elementary School rank in AL?

Orchard Elementary School ranks #1,132 of 1,356 schools in AL.

What is Orchard Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Orchard Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 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 Orchard Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Orchard Elementary School has 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 47% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Orchard Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Orchard Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Orchard Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Orchard Elementary School?

82.9% of students at Orchard Elementary School 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
585
Student-Teacher Ratio
22.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
26
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Mobile County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
34.2%
Area population (ZIP 36618)
17,438
Area average commute
25.9 min
Area median age
39.5
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 36618; 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

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