All rankings · Alabama
Best Alabama public schools
Eight rankings of Alabama's public schools from the latest NCES + state-assessment data. Unlike most school rankings, this list leads with BeatsExpectations: a demographics-adjusted score that asks how a school performs relative to what its student population would predict, not just in absolute terms.
Alabama schools outperforming demographics
Top schools by BeatsExpectations score. Demographically-adjusted; a +20 here means the school posts 20 more proficiency points than its FRL profile predicts.| # | School | City | Beats by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vernon Elementary School | Vernon | +41.8pp |
| 2 | W H Council Traditional School | Mobile | +38.6pp |
| 3 | Webb Elementary School | Webb | +37.6pp |
| 4 | EicholdMertz School of Math and Science | Mobile | +36.1pp |
| 5 | Eutaw Primary School | Eutaw | +36.1pp |
| 6 | Hamilton Elementary School | Hamilton | +35.9pp |
| 7 | Carver School of Mathematics Science and Technology | Dothan | +35.9pp |
| 8 | Old Shell Road Magnet School | Mobile | +35.7pp |
| 9 | Piedmont Elementary School | Piedmont | +35.4pp |
| 10 | Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School | Pleasant Grove | +34.6pp |
| 11 | Guin Elementary School | Guin | +32.9pp |
| 12 | Saraland Elementary School | Saraland | +32.6pp |
| 13 | Princeton School | Birmingham | +32.6pp |
| 14 | New Bethel Elementary School | Tuscumbia | +30.6pp |
| 15 | FE Burleson Elementary School | Hartselle | +30.5pp |
Alabama Title I schools beating the odds
High-poverty schools (60%+ FRL) ranking in the top quartile of their state's proficiency.| # | School | City | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamilton Elementary School | Hamilton | 76.0% |
| 2 | Webb Elementary School | Webb | 68.7% |
| 3 | J E Turner Elementary | Wilmer | 66.4% |
| 4 | Ivalee Elementary School | Attalla | 63.8% |
| 5 | Eva School | Eva | 63.5% |
| 6 | Ashford Elementary School | Ashford | 62.7% |
| 7 | Dutton Elementary School | Dutton | 62.3% |
| 8 | Walter M Kennedy School | Pell City | 62.2% |
| 9 | Opp Elementary School | Opp | 61.5% |
| 10 | West Morgan Elementary School | Trinity | 61.4% |
| 11 | Russellville Elementary School | Russellville | 61.2% |
| 12 | Rucker Boulevard Elementary School | Enterprise | 61.2% |
| 13 | Iola Roberts Elementary School | Pell City | 61.0% |
| 14 | Pinedale Elementary School | Enterprise | 60.9% |
| 15 | Knight Enloe Elementary School | Roanoke | 59.8% |
Alabama schools by raw proficiency
The traditional ranking: highest combined math + reading proficiency on the state assessment.| # | School | City | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School | Montgomery | 95.1% |
| 2 | Forest Avenue Elementary School | Montgomery | 94.5% |
| 3 | EicholdMertz School of Math and Science | Mobile | 92.4% |
| 4 | Crestline Elementary School | Mountain Brook | 91.6% |
| 5 | Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School | Pleasant Grove | 90.8% |
| 6 | Cherokee Bend Elementary School | Mountain Brook | 88.6% |
| 7 | Mountain Brook Elementary School | Mountain Brook | 87.8% |
| 8 | W H Council Traditional School | Mobile | 87.5% |
| 9 | Mt Laurel Elementary School | Birmingham | 86.6% |
| 10 | Brookwood Forest Elementary School | Mountain Brook | 86.2% |
| 11 | Orange Beach Elementary School | Orange Beach | 86.0% |
| 12 | Barkley Bridge Elementary School | Hartselle | 84.6% |
| 13 | Edgewood Elementary School | Homewood | 84.3% |
| 14 | Greystone Elementary School | Hoover | 83.9% |
| 15 | Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park | Vestavia Hills | 83.3% |
Alabama schools with the lowest student-teacher ratios
Schools with 200+ students reporting the fewest students per teacher. Excludes virtual.| # | School | City | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lloyd Wood Education Center | Northport | 9.8:1 |
| 2 | Career Academies of Decatur | Decatur | 10.0:1 |
| 3 | Mountain Brook High School | Mountain Brook | 10.1:1 |
| 4 | Cherokee High School | Cherokee | 10.3:1 |
| 5 | Loachapoka High School | Loachapoka | 10.7:1 |
| 6 | Abbeville High School | Abbeville | 11.1:1 |
| 7 | McIntyre Comprehensive Academy | Montgomery | 11.2:1 |
| 8 | Montevallo Middle School | Montevallo | 11.3:1 |
| 9 | Vincent Middle High School | Vincent | 11.5:1 |
| 10 | Brookwood Forest Elementary School | Mountain Brook | 11.6:1 |
| 11 | Mountain Brook Elementary School | Mountain Brook | 11.7:1 |
| 12 | Harlan Elementary School | Florence | 11.8:1 |
| 13 | Homewood High School | Homewood | 12.0:1 |
| 14 | Notasulga High School | Notasulga | 12.0:1 |
| 15 | Shades Mountain Elementary School | Hoover | 12.1:1 |
Fastest-growing Alabama public schools, 2017-2024
Schools open in both years with 200+ enrollment in 2017, ranked by % change.| # | School | City | Enrollment Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama Connections Academy | Athens | +721% |
| 2 | McCalla Elementary School | Bessemer | +202% |
| 3 | MidTown Elementary School | Madison | +148% |
| 4 | Duran Junior High School | Pell City | +119% |
| 5 | Florence B Mathis Elementary | Foley | +112% |
| 6 | Acceleration Day and Evening Academy | MOBILE | +109% |
| 7 | Warrior Elementary School | Warrior | +101% |
| 8 | Williams Middle School | Huntsville | +94% |
| 9 | Hueytown Primary School | Hueytown | +89% |
| 10 | Elberta High School | Elberta | +88% |
| 11 | Snow Rogers Elementary School | Gardendale | +87% |
| 12 | Athens Middle School | Athens | +83% |
| 13 | Holly Pond Elementary School | Holly Pond | +81% |
| 14 | Meridianville Middle School | Hazel Green | +76% |
| 15 | New Brockton Elementary School | New Brockton | +71% |
Most racially diverse Alabama public schools
Schools ranked by how balanced their student body is. The largest single racial group's share of enrollment, lowest first.| # | School | City | Max group |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chestnut Grove Elementary School | Decatur | 35.3% White (154) |
| 2 | Tanner Elementary School | Tanner | 35.5% Hispanic (120) |
| 3 | Cottondale Elementary School | Cottondale | 35.6% White (156) |
| 4 | A M Windham Elementary School | Daleville | 35.7% White (181) |
| 5 | Whitesburg Middle School | Huntsville | 35.9% Hispanic (192) |
| 6 | James L Cowart Elementary School | Athens | 36.5% White (121) |
| 7 | Forest Avenue Elementary School | Montgomery | 36.6% Asian (226) |
| 8 | Austin High School | Decatur | 36.8% Black (368) |
| 9 | Pelham Ridge | Pelham | 37.2% White (291) |
| 10 | Daleville High School | Daleville | 37.2% White (129) |
| 11 | Tanner High School | Tanner | 37.3% Hispanic (153) |
| 12 | Bob HardingShawmut Elementary | Valley | 37.5% White (87) |
| 13 | Hibbett Elementary School | Florence | 37.6% White (184) |
| 14 | Decatur Middle School | Decatur | 37.6% Hispanic (308) |
| 15 | Sansom Middle School | Gadsden | 37.8% White (128) |
Largest Alabama public schools
Brick-and-mortar schools ranked by total enrollment. Virtual schools excluded.| # | School | City | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoover High School | Hoover | 2,919 |
| 2 | Baker High School | Mobile | 2,271 |
| 3 | Auburn High School | Auburn | 2,227 |
| 4 | Enterprise High School | Enterprise | 2,177 |
| 5 | James Clemens High School | Madison | 2,159 |
| 6 | Thompson High School | Alabaster | 2,060 |
| 7 | Bob Jones High School | Madison | 2,048 |
| 8 | Mary G Montgomery High School | Semmes | 1,888 |
| 9 | Virgil Grissom High School | Huntsville | 1,847 |
| 10 | Prattville High School | Prattville | 1,844 |
| 11 | Huntsville High School | Huntsville | 1,807 |
| 12 | Sparkman High School | Harvest | 1,770 |
| 13 | Oak Mountain High School | Birmingham | 1,648 |
| 14 | Daphne High School | Daphne | 1,639 |
| 15 | Vestavia Hills High School | Vestavia Hills | 1,625 |
Alabama schools underperforming demographics
Bottom 10% within state by BeatsExpectations. Not a verdict, a starting question. A school may be in leadership transition or recovering from a demographic shift.| # | School | City | Beats by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McAdory High School | McCalla | -38.8pp |
| 2 | Sipsey Valley High School | Buhl | -35.3pp |
| 3 | Russell County High School | Seale | -35.2pp |
| 4 | Saint Clair County High School | Odenville | -35.1pp |
| 5 | Gardendale High School | Gardendale | -33.4pp |
| 6 | Hale County High School | Moundville | -32.7pp |
| 7 | Carbon Hill High School | Carbon Hill | -32.7pp |
| 8 | Good Hope High School | Cullman | -32.2pp |
| 9 | West Blocton High School | West Blocton | -31.9pp |
| 10 | Smiths Station High School | Smiths Station | -31.8pp |
| 11 | Columbia High School | Huntsville | -31.6pp |
| 12 | Glencoe High School | Glencoe | -31.4pp |
| 13 | Pike Road High School | Pike Road | -31.1pp |
| 14 | Southside High School | Southside | -30.8pp |
| 15 | Lawrence County High School | Moulton | -30.8pp |
About these rankings
These tables use the most recent NCES Common Core of Data (2024-25) for enrollment, demographics, and staffing, and state-native assessment data (typically 2023-24 or 2024-25) for proficiency. BeatsExpectations is computed via per-state ordinary-least-squares regression of composite proficiency on free-and-reduced-lunch share. Full methodology.
License: CC-BY 4.0. Reproduce these rankings anywhere with attribution to allk12.com. Press contact: [email protected].
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