Enrollment
7,822
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Athens, AL
Alabama Connections Academy
Federal NCES profile for Alabama Connections Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010210002436
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Alabama Connections Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama.
- #6 of 9
- schools in Athens · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 63.4%
- free-lunch eligible
- 7,822
- students enrolled
By Resource Investment Index, Alabama Connections Academy ranks #6 of 9 schools in Athens, AL.
School address
District: Limestone County · Alabama
NCES ID 010210002436 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Free-lunch eligible
63.4%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+8% vs state
What stands out at Alabama Connections Academy
Alabama Connections Academy is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Athens, Alabama, enrolling 7,822 students.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 63.4% lands close to the Alabama typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alabama, bigger than 99% of state schools at 7,822 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 460 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
The surrounding Limestone County spends $8,021 per pupil, 36% below the Alabama average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Athens's public schools, it stands alongside East Limestone High School (1,216 students): Alabama Connections Academy is larger than that campus by headcount.
Limestone County also operates East Limestone High School (1,216 students) and Ardmore High School (964 students) alongside Alabama Connections Academy.
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 Connections Academy compares
Alabama Connections Academy on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.4% | ▲ 8% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 7,822 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7,822
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Funding equity
$8,021
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors17.0 FTE
Per 460 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
White 61.1%
African American 25.9%
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%
Two or More 4.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Asian 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 61.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.3, Alabama Connections Academy is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 10
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Limestone County, which includes Alabama Connections Academy.
$8,021
Per student
-36%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-52%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.4%
State 61.6%
Federal 11.1%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Alabama Connections Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Limestone High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| Ardmore High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| West Limestone High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| Sugar Creek Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Elkmont Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Alabama Connections Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,216
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 964
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 736
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 631
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 599
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in Athens
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
East Limestone High School
Standard public school
1,216 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Athens Renaissance School
Standard public school
606 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Blue Springs Elementary School
Standard public school
558 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Clements High School
Standard public school
525 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Johnson Elementary School
Standard public school
475 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Athens Elementary School
Standard public school
474 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Alabama Connections Academy's federal record.
- Compare Alabama Connections Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Limestone County'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 Connections Academy
How many students attend Alabama Connections Academy?
Alabama Connections Academy has 7,822 students enrolled. It is a public school in Athens, AL.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Alabama Connections Academy?
63.4% of students at Alabama Connections Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Alabama Connections Academy?
The largest demographic group at Alabama Connections Academy is White at 61.1% of enrollment, in Athens, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Alabama Connections Academy?
Alabama Connections Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. 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 Connections Academy rank among schools in Athens?
By Resource Investment Index, Alabama Connections Academy ranks #6 of 9 schools in Athens, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Athens on the city page.
Is Alabama Connections Academy a good school?
Alabama Connections Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. It is also one of the largest 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 Limestone County?
Besides Alabama Connections Academy, Limestone County also operates East Limestone High School (1,216 students), Ardmore High School (964 students), and West Limestone High School (736 students). See the Limestone County district page for the complete list.
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.