Enrollment
438
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Leighton, AL
Colbert County High School
Federal NCES profile for Colbert County High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010084000334
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Colbert County High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of Alabama schools.
- #3 of 3
- schools in Leighton · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.6:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 40.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Colbert County High School has class sizes smaller than 77% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Colbert County High School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Leighton, AL.
School address
District: Colbert County · Alabama
NCES ID 010084000334 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.0%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Colbert County High School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Colbert County High School
Colbert County High School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Leighton, Alabama, enrolling 438 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 438 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 262 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #144.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and African American (27%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 438 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 18.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Leighton's public schools, it stands alongside Leighton Elementary School (355 students): Colbert County High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.6:1 vs 14.8:1).
Colbert County also operates Colbert Heights Elementary School (486 students) and Colbert Heights High School (467 students) alongside Colbert County High School.
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 Colbert County High School compares
Colbert County 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 | 15.6:1 | ▼ 12% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.0% | ▼ 32% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 438 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
438
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 23% in Alabama - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,961
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 438 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 60.5%
African American 26.7%
Hispanic or Latino 7.3%
Two or More 4.3%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 60.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.5, Colbert County High School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Colbert County, which includes Colbert County High School.
$13,961
Per student
+12%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.7%
State 47.3%
Federal 18.0%
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 Colbert County High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colbert Heights Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Colbert Heights High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Leighton Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hatton Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cherokee Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Colbert County High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 486
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 467
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 355
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 236
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 226
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Leighton
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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.
Similar enrollment (~438 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Colbert County High School's federal record.
- Compare Colbert County High School against another school. Compare schools
- Colbert 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 Colbert County High School
How many students attend Colbert County High School?
Colbert County High School has 438 students enrolled. It is a public school in Leighton, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Colbert County High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Colbert County High School is 15.6:1, which is 12% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Colbert County High School?
40.0% of students at Colbert County High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Colbert County High School?
The largest demographic group at Colbert County High School is White at 60.5% of enrollment, in Leighton, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Colbert County High School?
Colbert County High School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Colbert County High School rank among schools in Leighton?
By Resource Investment Index, Colbert County High School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Leighton, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Leighton on the city page.
Is Colbert County High School a good school?
Colbert County High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of Alabama schools. 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 Colbert County?
Besides Colbert County High School, Colbert County also operates Colbert Heights Elementary School (486 students), Colbert Heights High School (467 students), and Leighton Elementary School (355 students). See the Colbert 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.