Bessemer City operates 7 public schools serving 3,246 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 other, 2 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 3,012 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Jefferson County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,480 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 27.2% local, 46.5% state, and 26.3% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $57,796 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 45/100, ranked #91 of 146 in Alabama against a state average of 51 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
a 290.2:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 41.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 75.2% African American, 20.7% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% White across the district's schools.
Bessemer City High School accounts for 25.2% of all Bessemer City student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Bessemer City-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.
Bessemer City school enrollment varies 3.3× across entities
Bessemer City school enrollment ranges from 231 students (lowest) to 760 students (highest), a spread of 529 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Bessemer City has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 75.8% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
Bessemer City student-counselor ratio is 290:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
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 Variation between sub-units within Bessemer City is typically wider than the Bessemer City-aggregate figure suggests.
Bessemer City chronic absenteeism rate is 41.9% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Bessemer City has 7 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 other, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 3,246 students.
How much does Bessemer City spend per student?
Bessemer City spends $14,480 per student. The district has an equity score of 45/100, ranking #91 in Alabama.
What is the average teacher salary in Bessemer City?
The average teacher salary in Bessemer City is $57,796 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Bessemer City?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Jefferson County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Bessemer City?
Bessemer City students are 75.2% African American, 20.7% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% White, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Bessemer City?
Bessemer City has an equity score of 45/100, ranking #91 out of 146 districts in Alabama. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.