Phenix City

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.

Phenix City, Alabama - 11 schools

An equity score of 53/100 ranks Phenix City #70 of 146 districts in Alabama (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,259 per pupil, Phenix City ranks #102 of 147 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending (Alabama districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

7,218
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$12,259
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Phenix City operates 11 public schools serving 7,218 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 combined, 2 high, 2 middle, 2 elementary 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 Russell County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,259 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 147 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending. See how Alabama compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 19.1% local, 57.8% state, and 23.2% 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 53/100, ranked #70 of 146 in Alabama against a state average of 51, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 11 schools offering Advanced Placement (12 AP courses district-wide), a 576.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 24.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 59.6% African American, 22.7% White, 9.9% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lakewood Primary School, with a diversity index of 66.7/100.

Its largest campus is Central High School, enrolling 1,579 students (22% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Meadowlane Elementary School, at 155 students, a 10x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Central High School accounts for 21.9% of all Phenix City student enrollment

That concentration means Phenix City-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. 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

Phenix City school enrollment varies 10× across entities

Phenix City school enrollment ranges from 155 students (lowest) to 1,579 students (highest), a spread of 1,424 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

Phenix City reports 70.5% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share sits between 62.5% and 75%, above a simple majority but below the highest descriptive band used here. 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

Phenix City student-counselor ratio is 576:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Phenix City chronic absenteeism rate is 24.2% — 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 Phenix City is typically wider than the Phenix City-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

23.2%
Federal
57.8%
State
19.1%
Local

Funding Equity

53
Equity Score
70 / 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 11 schools in Phenix City.

White 22.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.9%
African American 59.6%
Multiracial 7.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 53.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Phenix City's schools, above the Alabama average of 42.5.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lakewood Primary School 66.7
  2. 2 Lakewood Elementary School 65.5
  3. 3 Sherwood Elementary School 64.5
  4. 4 South Girard School 57.2
  5. 5 Phenix City Intermediate School 55.1

Programs & Resources

1 / 11
Schools with AP
12 AP courses total
576.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
24.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Phenix City

School Enrollment
Central High School
1,579
Phenix City Intermediate School
1,068
Ridgecrest Elementary School
722
Phenix City Elementary School
683
Westview Elementary School
563
Central Freshman Academy
513
South Girard School
501
Sherwood Elementary School
493
Lakewood Primary School
466
Lakewood Elementary School
455
Meadowlane Elementary School
155

How Phenix City Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Alabama districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Talladega County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Walker County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Vestavia Hills City Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Houston County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Morgan County Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

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

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 Phenix City

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 Phenix City?

Phenix City has 11 schools, including 2 high, 2 middle, 5 combined, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 7,218 students.

How much does Phenix City spend per student?

Phenix City spends $12,259 per student. The district has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #70 in Alabama.

What is the demographic composition of Phenix City?

Phenix City students are 59.6% African American, 22.7% White, 9.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Phenix City?

Phenix City has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #70 out of 146 districts in Alabama.