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

Cullman, Alabama - 5 schools

An equity score of 31/100 ranks Cullman City #123 of 146 districts in Alabama (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,236 per pupil, Cullman City ranks #64 of 146 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending (Alabama districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,226
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$12,236
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Cullman City operates 5 public schools serving 3,226 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 high, 1 combined, 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 Cullman County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,236 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 37.0% local, 49.2% state, and 13.7% 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 31/100, ranked #123 of 146 in Alabama against a state average of 51, notably less 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 (11 AP courses district-wide), a 513.4:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 17.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 84.6% White, 10.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is West Elementary School, with a diversity index of 34.3/100.

Its largest campus is Cullman High School, enrolling 1,014 students (31% of the district's total enrollment).

Cullman High School accounts for 31.3% of all Cullman City student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Cullman 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.

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

Cullman City school enrollment varies 2.2× across entities

Cullman City school enrollment ranges from 466 students (lowest) to 1,014 students (highest), a spread of 548 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.

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

Cullman City student-counselor ratio is 513:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Cullman City chronic absenteeism rate is 17.7% — 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 Cullman City is typically wider than the Cullman City-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

13.7%
Federal
49.2%
State
37.0%
Local

Funding Equity

31
Equity Score
123 / 146
State Rank
51
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Cullman City.

White 84.6%
Hispanic or Latino 10.1%
African American 1.3%
Asian 1.5%
Multiracial 2.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 27.0/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 West Elementary School 34.3
  2. 2 Cullman Middle School 29.3
  3. 3 Cullman High School 26.7
  4. 4 Cullman City Primary School 26.7
  5. 5 East Elementary School 18.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
11 AP courses total
513.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
17.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Cullman City

School Enrollment
Cullman High School
1,014
Cullman City Primary School
782
Cullman Middle School
491
West Elementary School
490
East Elementary School
466

How Cullman City Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Alabama districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Bessemer City Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Dale County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Chambers County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Marion County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Saraland City Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Cullman 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 Cullman City?

Cullman City has 5 schools, including 1 high, 1 combined, 1 middle, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 3,226 students.

How much does Cullman City spend per student?

Cullman City spends $12,236 per student. The district has an equity score of 31/100, ranking #123 in Alabama.

What is the demographic composition of Cullman City?

Cullman City students are 84.6% White, 10.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% Asian, 1.3% African American, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Cullman City?

Cullman City has an equity score of 31/100, ranking #123 out of 146 districts in Alabama.