Gaylesville High School

Gaylesville High School is one of the tight-knit multi-level schools in Gaylesville, Alabama, overseen by Cherokee County, with 341 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 12. Enrollment runs roughly 49% leaner than the state mean of about 673.

Cherokee County runs 7 schools in total, collectively educating 3,860 students. Gaylesville High School is one of those campuses.

Looking at the student body, Gaylesville High School reports that nearly all students (97%) are White.

In terms of school funding signals, The school lists 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 15.5:1. The state averages around 17.9:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 62% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. That share is above Cherokee County's rate of about 52%.

With demographic context factored in, Gaylesville High School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 39.0%; this one delivers 34.7%.

In the surrounding community, Cherokee County reports that median household income runs about $53,863, roughly 17% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Cherokee County runs 8 public schools (combined enrollment of about 3,860 students), of which Gaylesville High School is one.

Cedar Bluff High School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 4.4 miles from this campus. 2 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a ten-mile radius, suggesting a relatively low-density school footprint. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Gaylesville High School ranks 7th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 36.5%.

The school occupies a rural site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count decreased 18%: 415 students in 2018 compared to 341 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 91% to 97% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 17.2:1 in 2018 to 15.5:1 today.

On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Members of the school community can share what they know.