Franklin 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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Russellville, Alabama - 9 schools

An equity score of 76/100 ranks Franklin County #15 of 146 districts in Alabama (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,421 per pupil, Franklin County ranks #48 of 147 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending (Alabama districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,637
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$13,421
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Franklin County operates 9 public schools serving 3,637 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 9 combined 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 Franklin County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,421 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 147 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending. See how Alabama compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 19.0% local, 59.7% state, and 21.3% 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 76/100, ranked #15 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 9 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 395.9:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 21.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 76.9% White, 18.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Tharptown High School, with a diversity index of 56.0/100.

Its largest campus is Belgreen High School, enrolling 588 students (17% of the district's total enrollment).

Belgreen High School accounts for 16.2% of all Franklin County student enrollment

That concentration means Franklin County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Franklin County school enrollment varies 2.8× across entities

Franklin County school enrollment ranges from 212 students (lowest) to 588 students (highest), a spread of 376 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

Franklin County reports 59.9% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share clears the 50% majority mark. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Franklin County student-counselor ratio is 396:1 — 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

Franklin County chronic absenteeism rate is 21.3% — 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 Franklin County is typically wider than the Franklin County-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

21.3%
Federal
59.7%
State
19.0%
Local

Funding Equity

76
Equity Score
15 / 146
State Rank
51
State Average

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

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 9 schools in Franklin County.

White 76.9%
Hispanic or Latino 18.4%
African American 1.5%
Multiracial 2.4%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 30.9/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Tharptown High School 56.0
  2. 2 Tharptown Elementary School 55.2
  3. 3 Belgreen High School 48.0
  4. 4 Phil Campbell High School 24.1
  5. 5 Red Bay High School 23.1

Programs & Resources

3 / 9
Schools with AP
3 AP courses total
395.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
21.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Franklin County

School Enrollment
Belgreen High School
588
Tharptown Elementary School
541
Phil Campbell Elementary School
441
Tharptown High School
410
Red Bay Elementary
410
Phil Campbell High School
382
Red Bay High School
322
Vina High School
257
East Franklin Junior High School
212

How Franklin County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Alabama districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Hartselle City Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Russell County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Fort Payne City Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Pelham City Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Cherokee County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Franklin 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 · $13,245/pupil
Compare vs Franklin County →
Jefferson County
35,951 students · 57 schools · $12,194/pupil
Compare vs Franklin County →
Baldwin County
31,517 students · 45 schools · $13,089/pupil
Compare vs Franklin County →
Montgomery County
26,821 students · 52 schools · $12,977/pupil
Compare vs Franklin County →
Huntsville City
23,776 students · 45 schools · $13,146/pupil
Compare vs Franklin County →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Franklin 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 Franklin County?

Franklin County has 9 schools, including 9 combined. Total enrollment is 3,637 students.

How much does Franklin County spend per student?

Franklin County spends $13,421 per student. The district has an equity score of 76/100, ranking #15 in Alabama.

What is the demographic composition of Franklin County?

Franklin County students are 76.9% White, 18.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Franklin County?

Franklin County has an equity score of 76/100, ranking #15 out of 146 districts in Alabama.