Anniston City

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Anniston, Alabama - 5 schools

An equity score of 64/100 ranks Anniston City #35 of 146 districts in Alabama (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $15,450 per pupil, Anniston City ranks #19 of 147 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending (Alabama districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,892
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$15,450
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Anniston City operates 5 public schools serving 1,892 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Calhoun County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,450 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 147 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending. See how Alabama compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 28.0% local, 44.5% state, and 27.5% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 64/100, ranked #35 of 146 in Alabama against a state average of 51, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 351.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 27.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 85.0% African American, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 4.9% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Golden Springs Elementary School, with a diversity index of 37.8/100.

Its largest campus is Anniston High School, enrolling 498 students (27% of the district's total enrollment).

Anniston High School accounts for 26.3% of all Anniston City student enrollment

That concentration means Anniston City-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Anniston City reports 78.4% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is at least 75%, indicating a high concentration of measured economic need. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Anniston City student-counselor ratio is 352:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Anniston City chronic absenteeism rate is 27.7% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Anniston City is typically wider than the Anniston City-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

27.5%
Federal
44.5%
State
28.0%
Local

Funding Equity

64
Equity Score
35 / 146
State Rank
51
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Anniston City.

White 4.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%
African American 85.0%
Multiracial 4.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 26.7/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Anniston City's schools, below the Alabama average of 42.5.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Golden Springs Elementary School 37.8
  2. 2 Anniston Middle School 28.9
  3. 3 Anniston High School 28.7
  4. 4 Cobb Preparatory Academy 19.9
  5. 5 Randolph Park Elementary School 18.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
3 AP courses total
351.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
27.7%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Anniston City

School Enrollment
Anniston High School
498
Golden Springs Elementary School
357
Anniston Middle School
357
Randolph Park Elementary School
339
Cobb Preparatory Academy
270

How Anniston City Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Alabama districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Andalusia City Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Guntersville City Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Macon County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Clay County Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Troy City Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Anniston City's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Alabama

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Mobile County
51,979 students · 92 schools · $13,245/pupil
Compare vs Anniston City →
Jefferson County
35,951 students · 57 schools · $12,194/pupil
Compare vs Anniston City →
Baldwin County
31,517 students · 45 schools · $13,089/pupil
Compare vs Anniston City →
Montgomery County
26,821 students · 52 schools · $12,977/pupil
Compare vs Anniston City →
Huntsville City
23,776 students · 45 schools · $13,146/pupil
Compare vs Anniston City →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Anniston City

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Mobile County →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Anniston City?

Anniston City has 5 schools, including 1 high, 2 elementary, 1 middle, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 1,892 students.

How much does Anniston City spend per student?

Anniston City spends $15,450 per student. The district has an equity score of 64/100, ranking #35 in Alabama.

What is the demographic composition of Anniston City?

Anniston City students are 85.0% African American, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 4.9% White, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Anniston City?

Anniston City has an equity score of 64/100, ranking #35 out of 146 districts in Alabama.