Pickens County

Carrollton, Alabama — 6 schools

2,373
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$14,198
Per-Pupil Spending
Other
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Pickens County operates 6 public schools serving 2,373 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 2,210 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Pickens County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,198 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 18.7% local, 60.1% state, and 21.2% 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 $62,849 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 55/100, ranked #54 of 146 in Alabama against a state average of 51 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

a 311.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 14.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 64.5% African American, 28.0% White, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Gordo Elementary School accounts for 24.7% of all Pickens County student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Pickens 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

Pickens County school enrollment varies 3.1× across entities

Pickens County school enrollment ranges from 174 students (lowest) to 545 students (highest), a spread of 371 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

Pickens County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 70.4% 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 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

Pickens County student-counselor ratio is 312:1 — 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 Pickens County is typically wider than the Pickens County-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Pickens County chronic absenteeism rate is 14.3% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

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

Where does the funding come from?

21.2%
Federal
60.1%
State
18.7%
Local

Funding Equity

55
Equity Score
54 / 146
State Rank
51
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

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

$588
Studio/mo
$591
1 BR/mo
$776
2 BR/mo
$994
3 BR/mo
$1,290
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$62,849
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 6 schools in Pickens County.

White 28.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%
African American 64.5%
Multiracial 1.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

311.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
14.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Pickens County

School Enrollment
Gordo Elementary School
545
Gordo High School
473
Aliceville Elementary School
415
Aliceville High School
338
Pickens County High School
265
Reform Elementary School
174

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

Compare Pickens 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 Pickens County?

Pickens County has 6 schools, including 6 other. Total enrollment is 2,373 students.

How much does Pickens County spend per student?

Pickens County spends $14,198 per student. The district has an equity score of 55/100, ranking #54 in Alabama.

What is the average teacher salary in Pickens County?

The average teacher salary in Pickens County is $62,849 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Pickens County?

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

What is the demographic composition of Pickens County?

Pickens County students are 64.5% African American, 28.0% White, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Pickens County?

Pickens County has an equity score of 55/100, ranking #54 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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