Gardendale Elementary School

Gardendale Elementary School is a moderately sized elementary-level community in Gardendale, Alabama, part of Jefferson County. The school instructs 700 students in grades pre-K through 5. That puts it 46% above the typical public school in Alabama, which averages around 480 students.

Within Jefferson County, which oversees 55 schools and 35,444 students, Gardendale Elementary School is one campus in the system.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Gardendale Elementary School logs that 49% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder comes out to 36% Black, 8% Hispanic, 4% multiracial, 3% Asian. That composition is broadly in line with Jefferson County as a whole.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Gardendale Elementary School records 36 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 19.4:1. The state averages around 17.0:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Around 38% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Jefferson County (around 52%), the school's rate is south of typical.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Gardendale Elementary School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 56.0% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 56.8%.

Across the wider county, ACS estimates for Jefferson County put median household earnings sit near $66,388, 36% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Gardendale Elementary School is one of 181 public schools in Jefferson County (combined enrollment of about 97,401 students).

The closest other public school is Bragg Middle School, roughly 0.1 miles away. 7 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. On composite proficiency, Gardendale Elementary School comes 1st of 8 in the immediate cluster, above the nearby-schools average of 37.0%.

The school occupies a suburban site.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Gardendale Elementary School has ticked down 29%, going from 991 students in 2018 to 700 in 2025. The White share of enrollment fell from 69% to 49% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio widened from 17.4:1 in 2018 to 19.4:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.