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Cullman, Alabama - 25 schools
An equity score of 34/100 ranks Cullman County #114 of 146 districts in Alabama (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $11,519 per pupil, Cullman County ranks #98 of 146 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending (Alabama districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
9,846
Total Enrollment
25
Schools
$11,519
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Cullman County operates 25 public schools serving 9,846 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 11 combined, 7 high, 5 middle, 2 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage 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 Cullman County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,519 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 146 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending. See how Alabama compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 25.1% local, 55.5% state, and 19.5% 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 34/100, ranked #114 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 3 of 25 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 404.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 17.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 84.1% White, 10.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Hanceville Middle School, with a diversity index of 44.2/100.
Cullman County school enrollment varies 3.8× across entities
Cullman County school enrollment ranges from 170 students (lowest) to 648 students (highest), a spread of 478 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.
Cullman County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 56.0% 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.
Cullman County student-counselor ratio is 405:1 — 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.
Cullman County chronic absenteeism rate is 17.2% — 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 County is typically wider than the Cullman County-aggregate figure suggests.
Cullman County has 25 schools, including 11 combined, 7 high, 5 middle, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 9,846 students.
How much does Cullman County spend per student?
Cullman County spends $11,519 per student. The district has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #114 in Alabama.
What is the demographic composition of Cullman County?
Cullman County students are 84.1% White, 10.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 25 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Cullman County?
Cullman County has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #114 out of 146 districts in Alabama.