Phillips Preparatory, 3255 Old Shell Road: grades 6 to 8, 435 students on the 2024-25 state report card, graded A with 97 points.
Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Sources: the school’s website, its contact page, Mobile County Public Schools’ 2026-27 calendar, enrollment, school zone, magnet schools and transportation contact pages and its SchoolSearch zone tool, the Alabama State Department of Education’s state report card for 2024-25 and 2023-24 and the federal NCES school directory for 2023-24.
Phillips Preparatory serves sixth through eighth grade at 3255 Old Shell Road, Mobile, as one of Mobile County Public Schools’ middle schools. It is one of the district’s nine magnet schools: students apply and are admitted by lottery instead of by address. Alabama graded it an A, with 97 points, on its 2024-25 report card.
Who to call
- Front office: 251-221-2286, 3255 Old Shell Road
- School website: www.phillipsprep.com
- Enrolling a new student: online registration in PowerSchool from the district’s enrollment page; Student Support Services, 251-221-4246
- Magnet questions: the Magnet School Office, 251-221-4039, magnetinfo@mcpss.com
- Buses: Transportation Department, 251-221-5260; the Southwest Area/Magnet route specialists, who cover Phillips Preparatory, are at 251-221-9956
| Address | 3255 Old Shell Road, Mobile, AL 36607 |
| Phone | 251-221-2286 |
| Grades | 6 to 8 |
| District | Mobile County Public Schools |
| Admission | Magnet, by lottery |
| State school code | 049-0590 |
Principal
Principal Johnnie Williams, according to the school’s website.
Enrollment and teachers
- State count: 435 students on the 2024-25 Alabama state report card.
- Federal count: 438 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 35 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 13 students per teacher.
State report card
Alabama grades every public school from A to F each year. The grade comes from a 100-point score built from students’ achievement and growth on state tests in English language arts and math, chronic absenteeism (the share of students who missed 18 or more days), progress in English language proficiency and, for high schools, graduation rate and college and career readiness, according to the Alabama State Department of Education’s report card rules.
2024-25 grade: A, 97 points. That compares with an A and 95 points on the 2023-24 card. Mobile County Public Schools as a whole earned a B, with 83 points.
| Indicator | 2024-25 score |
|---|---|
| Academic achievement (ELA and math tests) | 94.27 |
| Academic growth | 100 |
| Chronic absenteeism (lower is better) | 4.18% of students |
Phillips Preparatory’s full report card, with results by student group, teachers and spending, is on the state’s report card site.
Attendance zone
Phillips Preparatory has no attendance zone. Any student who lives in the Mobile County Public Schools district can apply through the magnet schools page; none of the city addresses we checked in the district’s SchoolSearch tool was zoned for it.
Magnet program
Phillips offers an accelerated college preparatory curriculum emphasizing communication skills, accelerated mathematics and foreign languages, and runs the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, according to the district’s magnet schools page, which says it has twice been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.
Any student who lives in the Mobile County Public Schools district may apply, and admission is by lottery only. The fall application window is open through 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, 2026; families admitted in the first round hear by the end of the second quarter, and more windows open in the spring. Students must keep an average of 70% or higher to stay. The Magnet School Office is at 251-221-4039, magnetinfo@mcpss.com.
Calendar and bell times
Phillips Preparatory follows the Mobile County Public Schools 2026-27 calendar, approved by the board on Feb. 25, 2026. Coming dates:
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: virtual learning day (Election Day)
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day, no school
- Nov. 23-27: Thanksgiving break
- Friday, Dec. 18: second quarter ends
- Dec. 21-31: Christmas break; students return Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2027
- Monday, Jan. 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, no school
- Feb. 8-12: Mardi Gras break
- March 29 to April 2: spring break
- Wednesday, May 26: last day for students
School hours: 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to the district’s SchoolSearch listing for Phillips Preparatory.
More
- The school’s website
- Every public school in Mobile, with zones and report cards
- Our Mobile schools guide for enrollment, the school board and the district at a glance
Frequently asked questions
What grades does Phillips Preparatory serve?
Phillips Preparatory serves sixth through eighth grade, according to the Alabama State Department of Education’s 2024-25 report card.
What is Phillips Preparatory’s state report card grade?
Phillips Preparatory earned an A, with 97 points, on Alabama’s 2024-25 state report card, up from 95 points on the 2023-24 card.
How do students get into Phillips Preparatory?
By applying during the Mobile County Public Schools magnet window; admission is by lottery only. The fall window is open through 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, 2026.
What time does Phillips Preparatory start?
The district’s SchoolSearch listing gives Phillips Preparatory’s hours as 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Have your say