Chambers County

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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Lafayette, Alabama - 9 schools

An equity score of 54/100 ranks Chambers County #64 of 146 districts in Alabama (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,053 per pupil, Chambers County ranks #73 of 146 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending (Alabama districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,158
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$12,053
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Chambers County operates 9 public schools serving 3,158 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 combined, 2 high, 2 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Chambers County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,053 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 146 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending. See how Alabama compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 23.0% local, 55.7% state, and 21.2% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 54/100, ranked #64 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 412.6:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 23.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 49.5% African American, 38.1% White, 9.2% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Bob Hardingshawmut Elementary, with a diversity index of 69.0/100.

Its largest campus is Valley High School, enrolling 692 students (22% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Inspire Virtual Academy, at 29 students, a 24x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Valley High School accounts for 21.6% of all Chambers County student enrollment

That concentration means Chambers County-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.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Chambers County school enrollment varies 24× across entities

Chambers County school enrollment ranges from 29 students (lowest) to 692 students (highest), a spread of 663 students. That spread is wider than typical and predicts noticeable gaps in service quality between the highest and lowest areas. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Chambers County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 60.6% 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 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.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Chambers County student-counselor ratio is 413:1 — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Chambers County chronic absenteeism rate is 23.0% — 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 Chambers County is typically wider than the Chambers County-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

21.2%
Federal
55.7%
State
23.0%
Local

Funding Equity

54
Equity Score
64 / 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 9 schools in Chambers County.

White 38.1%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%
African American 49.5%
Multiracial 2.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 53.4/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Chambers County's schools, above the Alabama average of 42.5.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Bob Hardingshawmut Elementary 69.0
  2. 2 Fairfax Elementary School 63.4
  3. 3 W F Burns Middle School 61.8
  4. 4 Valley High School 60.4
  5. 5 Inspire Virtual Academy 54.9

Programs & Resources

412.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
23.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Chambers County

School Enrollment
Valley High School
692
Fairfax Elementary School
689
W F Burns Middle School
545
Huguley Elementary School
383
Lafayette Eastside Elementary School
311
Bob Hardingshawmut Elementary
232
Lafayette High School
182
John P Powell Middle School
140
Inspire Virtual Academy
29

How Chambers County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Alabama districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Bibb County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Cullman City Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Monroe County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Bessemer City Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Dale County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Chambers County'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 · $12,163/pupil
Compare vs Chambers County →
Jefferson County
35,951 students · 57 schools · $11,497/pupil
Compare vs Chambers County →
Baldwin County
31,517 students · 45 schools · $11,999/pupil
Compare vs Chambers County →
Montgomery County
26,821 students · 52 schools · $11,430/pupil
Compare vs Chambers County →
Huntsville City
23,776 students · 45 schools · $12,033/pupil
Compare vs Chambers County →

Compare Chambers County

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 Chambers County?

Chambers County has 9 schools, including 2 high, 5 combined, 2 middle. Total enrollment is 3,158 students.

How much does Chambers County spend per student?

Chambers County spends $12,053 per student. The district has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #64 in Alabama.

What is the demographic composition of Chambers County?

Chambers County students are 49.5% African American, 38.1% White, 9.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Chambers County?

Chambers County has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #64 out of 146 districts in Alabama.