Dunbar Creative Performing Arts vs. Clarkshaw Magnet School
Should you attend Dunbar Creative Performing Arts or Clarkshaw Magnet School? Visitors to our site frequently compare these two schools. Compare their rankings, test scores, reviews and more to help you determine which school is the best choice for you.
Dunbar Creative Performing Arts, a Mobile, Alabama magnet school serving grades 6–8, ranked #358 statewide in 2023, declining from a peak rank of #31 in 2012 and showing a downward trend over recent years.
Reading proficiency reached 63% in 2022, higher than the state average of 47%, while math proficiency remained below the state average at 28% compared to 30%; science proficiency was approximately equal to the state average at 40–44%.
Enrollment declined from 547 students in 2012 to 333 in 2024, with minority enrollment around 90%, predominantly Black students (281 of 333), and about 70% of students eligible for free or reduced–price lunch, indicating socioeconomic challenges.
The school maintained a student–teacher ratio of 18:1 in 2024 with 333 students and 19 teachers, positioning it among the top 20% of Alabama schools for low student–teacher ratios.
Graduation rates dropped to 79% in 2023, below the state average of 88% and district average of 85%, reflecting a decline from previous years where rates were closer to or exceeded state levels.
Clarkshaw Magnet School ranked #111 in Alabama overall in 2023, declining from a peak rank of #1 in 2013 and #2011, indicating a downward trend in statewide ranking over the past decade.
Math proficiency was 49%, higher than the Alabama state average of 30% in 2023, although this reflects a decline from 99% proficiency in 2013; reading proficiency was 81%, higher than the state average of 47%, and science proficiency was 78%, higher than the state average of 38%.
Enrollment decreased from 902 students in 2014 to 544 currently, with a student–teacher ratio improving to 18:1 from as high as 24:1 in previous years; 76% of students are minorities, reflecting a stable high minority enrollment.
The school serves grades 5 through 8 with 544 students and 31 teachers, and 44% of students qualify for free lunch, indicating a significant portion of socioeconomically disadvantaged students.
As a Mobile County magnet school in Alabama, Clarkshaw qualifies for Title I and has historic recognition as a Blue Ribbon School in 2007, maintaining strong academic performance despite enrollment and ranking declines.
Blue Ribbon Schools
-
Yes
Grades Offered
6-8
5-8
Total Students
333 students
544 students
% Male | % Female
22% | 78%
49% | 51%
Total Classroom Teachers
19 teachers
31 teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
18:1
18:1
<Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ class="so-dt-title">Test Scores
Overall Testing Rank
#358 out of 1275 schools in AL (Top 30%)
#111 out of 1275 schools in AL (Top 10%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
28%
(Top 50% in AL)
49%
(Top 20% in AL)
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
63%
(Top 20% in AL)(21-22 School Year Data)
81%
(Top 5% in AL)(21-22 School Year Data)
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
40-44%
(Top 50% in AL)(21-22 School Year Data)
78%
(Top 5% in AL)(21-22 School Year Data)
<Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ class="so-dt-title">Students by Grade
Students by Grade
Grade 6 Students
125
199
Grade 7 Students
130
185
Grade 8 Students
78
160
<Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ class="so-dt-title">Students by Ethnicity
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
n/a
% Asian
n/a
5%
% Hispanic
2%
5%
% Black
85%
64%
% White
10%
24%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
2%
Diversity Score
0.27
0.53
<Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ class="so-dt-title">Additional Information
