Pillans Middle School vs. Dunbar Creative Performing Arts
Should you attend Pillans Middle School or Dunbar Creative Performing Arts? 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.
School Overview
School
Top Rankings
Pillans Middle School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Alabama for:
Category
Attribute
Percent Eligible For Free Lunch
Dunbar Creative Performing Arts ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Alabama for:
Category
Attribute
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Student Attention
Overview
Pillans Middle School ranked #1235 in Alabama in 2023, showing a decline from #1088 in 2012 and fluctuating within the bottom 50% statewide over recent years.
Math proficiency declined sharply from 70% in 2012 to 3% in 2023, remaining lower than the state average of 30%; reading proficiency was 17% in 2022, also lower than the state average of 47%.
Enrollment decreased from 824 students in 1999 to 485 in 2023, while minority enrollment remained high at 96%, with 453 students eligible for free lunch, ranking in the top 5% statewide for free lunch eligibility.
The school serves grades 6–8 with an enrollment of 485 students and a student–teacher ratio of 19:1 as of 2023, reflecting a slight decrease in staff and students over recent years.
Graduation rates at this Mobile County, Alabama middle school reached 87% in 2023, slightly below the state rate of 88% but above the district average of 85%.
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.
Grades Offered
6-8
6-8
Total Students
485 students
333 students
% Male | % Female
52% | 48%
22% | 78%
Total Classroom Teachers
26 teachers
19 teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
19:1
18:1
Test Scores
Overall Testing Rank
#1235 out of 1275 schools in AL
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
#358 out of 1275 schools in AL
(Top 30%)
(Top 30%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
3%
28%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
17%
63%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
10-14%
40-44%
Students by Grade
Students by Grade
Grade 6 Students
166
125
Grade 7 Students
154
130
Grade 8 Students
165
78
Students by Ethnicity
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
n/a
% Asian
n/a
n/a
% Hispanic
6%
2%
% Black
86%
85%
% White
4%
10%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
3%
Diversity Score
0.26
0.27
Additional Information
Eligible for Free Lunch
93%
60%
Eligible for Reduced Lunch
2%
10%
