Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — Orange Beach City Schools has earned one of the highest scores in Alabama on the 2025 State Report Card, posting a 98 and placing the small coastal system among the state’s elite. District leaders say the score reflects years of focused work. They also point to strong teaching, committed students, and steady community support. The growing system continues to emphasize both academic performance and consistent student attendance.

The Alabama State Department of Education released the 2025 State Report Card on November 13, 2025. Earlier in the fall, statewide assessment data showed that Orange Beach students led Alabama in fourth and eighth grade science proficiency. The same data placed the district second in mathematics and fourth in English Language Arts. These rankings highlight continued progress for a system now in only its fourth full year of operation.

Orange Beach Middle & High School has shown especially strong gains in attendance. Over the past two years, the school reduced its chronic absenteeism rate from 27 percent to less than 12 percent. Orange Beach Elementary School also made major improvements, lowering chronic absenteeism from 9 percent to 4 percent during the same time period. The district has set a long-term goal of eliminating chronic absenteeism altogether.

Superintendent Randy Wilkes said the results come from the daily efforts of staff, students, and families. He noted that success starts with a strong teacher in every classroom and students who arrive ready to learn. According to Wilkes, teachers maintain high expectations, and students work to meet them. He also emphasized that the community stands firmly behind both teachers and students.

On the school level, both campuses improved their individual report card scores this year. Orange Beach Elementary School raised its score to 99, up from 97 last year. That result leaves the school only twelve one-hundredths of a point away from a perfect 100. Orange Beach Middle & High School increased its score from 94 to 95 and earned 100 percent of the possible points for graduation rate.

District leaders say these outcomes support the system’s motto of “Charting the Course for Excellence.” They argue that the latest report card proves that a small coastal district can post extraordinary results. They credit dedication, collaboration, and a constant focus on student learning. Orange Beach City Schools plans to continue building on this year’s success in the years ahead.