An equity score of 57/100 ranks Bessemer City #54 of 146 districts in Alabama (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $15,437 per pupil, Bessemer City ranks #20 of 147 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending (Alabama districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
3,246
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$15,437
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Bessemer City operates 7 public schools serving 3,246 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 combined, 2 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle 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 Jefferson County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,437 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 27.2% local, 46.5% state, and 26.3% 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 57/100, ranked #54 of 146 in Alabama against a state average of 51, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
a 290.2:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat 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. Its most demographically mixed campus is Greenwood Elementary School, with a diversity index of 54.7/100.
Its largest campus is Bessemer City High School, enrolling 760 students (25% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Abrams Elementary School, at 231 students, a 3x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Bessemer City High School accounts for 23.4% of all Bessemer City student enrollment
That concentration means Bessemer 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.
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 reports 74.8% free-lunch eligibility
The reported share sits between 62.5% and 75%, above a simple majority but below the highest descriptive band used here. 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.
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 combined, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 3,246 students.
How much does Bessemer City spend per student?
Bessemer City spends $15,437 per student. The district has an equity score of 57/100, ranking #54 in Alabama.
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 57/100, ranking #54 out of 146 districts in Alabama.