Houston County High School

Houston County High School is a four-year high school of intimate scale in Columbia, Alabama, run under Houston County, enrolling 322 students in grades 7 through 12. By comparison, Alabama's public schools average about 682 students each, so Houston County High School sits 53% below that benchmark.

Houston County High School is one of 14 schools operated by Houston County, a district that teaches 6,907 students overall.

On the student-mix side, Houston County High School shows that 44% of students identify as Black, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder breaks down as 43% White, 8% Hispanic, 2% multiracial. By comparison, Houston County as a whole is about 27% Black, so the school skews visibly more Black than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, Staff filings list 20 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 16.1:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 17.2:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 74% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy. Set against Houston County (around 63%), the school's rate is noticeably above typical.

After controlling for student poverty, Houston County High School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 30.1% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 34.2%.

Across the wider county, community-level numbers for Houston County indicate median household earnings sit near $58,626, roughly 23% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 13% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Houston County runs 35 public schools (combined enrollment of about 15,127 students), of which Houston County High School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Webb Elementary School, around 9.6 miles off. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Houston County High School at 4th of 9; the average score across the group is 27.9%.

The campus sits in a low-density setting.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count shrank 14%: 373 students in 2018 compared to 322 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share declined from 49% to 43%.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.