Monroe 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.

Monroeville, Alabama - 7 schools

An equity score of 78/100 ranks Monroe County #12 of 146 districts in Alabama (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,660 per pupil, Monroe County ranks #49 of 146 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending (Alabama districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,077
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$12,660
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Monroe County operates 7 public schools serving 3,077 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary 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 Monroe County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,660 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 20.1% local, 58.3% state, and 21.6% 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 78/100, ranked #12 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 2 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (9 AP courses district-wide), a 291.2:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 28.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 71.5% African American, 21.1% White, 1.2% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is J U Blacksher School, with a diversity index of 57.4/100.

Its largest campus is Excel High School, enrolling 1,010 students (34% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Monroe Intermediate School, at 55 students, a 18x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Excel High School accounts for 32.8% of all Monroe County student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Monroe County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Monroe County school enrollment varies 18× across entities

Monroe County school enrollment ranges from 55 students (lowest) to 1,010 students (highest), a spread of 955 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

Monroe County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 75.4% 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

Monroe County student-counselor ratio is 291:1 — 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 Monroe County is typically wider than the Monroe County-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Monroe County chronic absenteeism rate is 28.5% — 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 Monroe County is typically wider than the Monroe 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?

21.6%
Federal
58.3%
State
20.1%
Local

Funding Equity

78
Equity Score
12 / 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 7 schools in Monroe County.

White 21.1%
Hispanic or Latino 1.2%
African American 71.5%
Multiracial 3.1%
Other 3.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 22.7/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 J U Blacksher School 57.4
  2. 2 Excel High School 44.8
  3. 3 Monroeville Elementary School 22.2
  4. 4 Monroeville Middle School 17.0
  5. 5 Monroe County High School 12.0

Programs & Resources

2 / 7
Schools with AP
9 AP courses total
291.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
28.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Monroe County

School Enrollment
Excel High School
1,010
J U Blacksher School
747
Monroeville Elementary School
406
Monroe County High School
302
Monroeville Middle School
264
J F Shields High School
179
Monroe Intermediate School
55

How Monroe County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Alabama districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Bibb County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Covington County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Chambers County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Cullman City Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Bessemer City Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Monroe 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 Monroe County?

Monroe County has 7 schools, including 5 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 3,077 students.

How much does Monroe County spend per student?

Monroe County spends $12,660 per student. The district has an equity score of 78/100, ranking #12 in Alabama.

What is the demographic composition of Monroe County?

Monroe County students are 71.5% African American, 21.1% White, 1.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Monroe County?

Monroe County has an equity score of 78/100, ranking #12 out of 146 districts in Alabama.