Enrollment
161
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Bessemer, AL
Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School
Federal NCES profile for Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 0/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 010021302528Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School earns 0/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Alabama.
- #12 of 12
- public schools in Bessemer · Resource Index
- 0
- Resource Index · Lower
- 32.2:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 50.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School has class sizes larger than 99% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School ranks #12 of 12 public schools in Bessemer, AL.
School address
District: Alabama Aerospace and Aviation · Alabama
NCES ID 010021302528 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
5.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
32.2:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+82% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.6%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School
Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School is a higher-need, small charter high school in Bessemer, Alabama, enrolling 161 students.
Class loads run heavy: 32.2:1 is larger than about 99% of Alabama schools and 82% above the 17.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 50.6% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 96% of Alabama schools, with 161 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 1,365 Alabama schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 35 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #35, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (78%) and White (8%) (diversity index 37/100).
Its district draws 32.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Bessemer's high schools, it stands alongside Bessemer City High School (760 students): Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (32.2:1 vs 20.5:1).
Alabama Aerospace and Aviation is a single-school charter district, so Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School operates independently rather than alongside district-mates. At 161 students, it is also a small operation, on the smaller end of Alabama's single-school districts.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School compares
Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 32.2:1 | ▲ 82% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.6% | ▼ 14% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 161 | top 96% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
32.2:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
161
Bigger than 16% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
32.2:1
students per teacher
- 82% above state mean
Top 99% in Alabama - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 78.3%
White 8.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.5%
Two or More 5.6%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: African American at 78.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.2, Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Similar high schools in Bessemer
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~161 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~32.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School's federal record.
- Compare Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School against another school. Compare schools
- Alabama Aerospace and Aviation's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School
How many students attend Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School?
Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School has 161 students enrolled. It is a high school in Bessemer, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School is 32.2:1, which is 82% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 105% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School?
50.6% of students at Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School?
The largest demographic group at Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School is African American at 78.3% of enrollment, in Bessemer, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School?
Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School has a Resource Investment Index of 0/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School rank among public schools in Bessemer?
By Resource Investment Index, Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School ranks #12 of 12 public schools in Bessemer, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Bessemer on the city page.
Is Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School a good school?
Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School earns 0/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Alabama. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Alabama Aerospace and Aviation?
None; Alabama Aerospace and Aviation is a single-school charter district, and Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School is its only campus.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.