Dallas County

Selma, Alabama — 11 schools

2,488
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$16,444
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Dallas County operates 11 public schools serving 2,488 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 other, 2 high, 2 middle, 1 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 2,283 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Dallas County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,444 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 15.5% local, 57.5% state, and 27.0% 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 $62,028 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 70/100, ranked #23 of 146 in Alabama against a state average of 51 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

a 333.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 39.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 79.7% African American, 13.2% White, 1.5% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Valley Grande Elementary School accounts for 15.5% of all Dallas County student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Dallas County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: other. 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

Dallas County school enrollment varies 3.2× across entities

Dallas County school enrollment ranges from 110 students (lowest) to 353 students (highest), a spread of 243 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

Dallas County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 78.3% 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.

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

Dallas County student-counselor ratio is 334:1 — 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 Dallas County is typically wider than the Dallas County-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Dallas County chronic absenteeism rate is 39.6% — 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.

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

Where does the funding come from?

27.0%
Federal
57.5%
State
15.5%
Local

Funding Equity

70
Equity Score
23 / 146
State Rank
51
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Dallas County county, where this district is located.

$620
Studio/mo
$637
1 BR/mo
$836
2 BR/mo
$1,103
3 BR/mo
$1,107
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$62,028
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 11 schools in Dallas County.

White 13.2%
Hispanic or Latino 1.5%
African American 79.7%
Multiracial 5.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

333.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
39.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Dallas County

School Enrollment
Valley Grande Elementary School
353
Dallas County High School
334
Southside High School
285
Brantley Elementary School
204
Keith Middlehigh School
188
William R Martin Middle School
180
Tipton Durant Middle School
176
Salem Elementary School
155
Bruce K Craig Elementary School
151
Southside Primary School
147
Je Terry Elementary School
110

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 · $13,185/pupil
Compare vs Dallas County →
Jefferson County
35,951 students · 57 schools · $13,148/pupil
Compare vs Dallas County →
Baldwin County
31,517 students · 45 schools · $14,037/pupil
Compare vs Dallas County →
Montgomery County
26,821 students · 52 schools · $12,933/pupil
Compare vs Dallas County →
Huntsville City
23,776 students · 45 schools · $13,040/pupil
Compare vs Dallas County →

Compare Dallas 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 Dallas County?

Dallas County has 11 schools, including 6 other, 2 high, 2 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,488 students.

How much does Dallas County spend per student?

Dallas County spends $16,444 per student. The district has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #23 in Alabama.

What is the average teacher salary in Dallas County?

The average teacher salary in Dallas County is $62,028 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Dallas County?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Dallas County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Dallas County?

Dallas County students are 79.7% African American, 13.2% White, 1.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Dallas County?

Dallas County has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #23 out of 146 districts in Alabama. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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