Dekalb 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.

Rainsville, Alabama - 12 schools

An equity score of 65/100 ranks Dekalb County #31 of 146 districts in Alabama (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,829 per pupil, Dekalb County ranks #83 of 146 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending (Alabama districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

8,717
Total Enrollment
12
Schools
$11,829
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Dekalb County operates 12 public schools serving 8,717 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 10 combined, 1 elementary, 1 high 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 Dekalb County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,829 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 18.0% local, 61.4% state, and 20.6% 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 65/100, ranked #31 of 146 in Alabama against a state average of 51, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 12 schools offering Advanced Placement (19 AP courses district-wide), a 458:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 24.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 51.8% White, 35.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Geraldine School, with a diversity index of 58.3/100.

Its largest campus is Geraldine School, enrolling 1,211 students (14% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Ruhuma Junior High School, at 175 students, a 7x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Dekalb County school enrollment varies 6.9× across entities

Dekalb County school enrollment ranges from 175 students (lowest) to 1,211 students (highest), a spread of 1,036 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

Dekalb County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 64.2% 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). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. 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

Dekalb County student-counselor ratio is 458:1 — 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

Dekalb County chronic absenteeism rate is 24.3% — 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 Dekalb County is typically wider than the Dekalb 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?

20.6%
Federal
61.4%
State
18.0%
Local

Funding Equity

65
Equity Score
31 / 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 12 schools in Dekalb County.

White 51.8%
Hispanic or Latino 35.1%
African American 0.8%
Multiracial 1.5%
Other 10.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 44.0/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Dekalb County's schools, about the same as the Alabama average of 42.5.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Geraldine School 58.3
  2. 2 Collinsville High School 55.2
  3. 3 Sylvania School 54.6
  4. 4 Plainview School 49.1
  5. 5 Valley Head High School 49.1

Programs & Resources

3 / 12
Schools with AP
19 AP courses total
458:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
24.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Dekalb County

School Enrollment
Geraldine School
1,211
Plainview School
1,167
Fyffe High School
954
Sylvania School
915
Collinsville High School
906
Crossville Middle School
770
Crossville Elementary School
658
Crossville High School
649
Ider School
586
Valley Head High School
517
Henagar Junior High School
261
Ruhuma Junior High School
175

How Dekalb County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Alabama districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Etowah County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Decatur City Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Dothan City Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Autauga County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Lee County Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

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

Compare Dekalb 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 Dekalb County?

Dekalb County has 12 schools, including 10 combined, 1 elementary, 1 high. Total enrollment is 8,717 students.

How much does Dekalb County spend per student?

Dekalb County spends $11,829 per student. The district has an equity score of 65/100, ranking #31 in Alabama.

What is the demographic composition of Dekalb County?

Dekalb County students are 51.8% White, 35.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 12 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Dekalb County?

Dekalb County has an equity score of 65/100, ranking #31 out of 146 districts in Alabama.