Enrollment
915
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Decatur, AL
Decatur High School
Federal NCES profile for Decatur High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 010117000429
👥 S:T ratio 40
📚 AP courses 80
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Decatur High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #3 of 4
- high schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 63.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Decatur High School has class sizes smaller than 83% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Decatur High School ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Decatur, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
61.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.2%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Decatur High School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Decatur High School
Decatur High School is a higher-need, large high school in Decatur, Alabama, enrolling 915 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 63.2% 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 90% of state schools at 915 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 233 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #158.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (40%) and White (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 16 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 229 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 256 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 915 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Decatur's high schools, it stands alongside Austin High School (999 students): Decatur High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15:1 vs 14.9:1).
Decatur City also operates Austin High School (999 students) and Decatur Middle School (818 students) alongside Decatur 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 Decatur High School compares
Decatur 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 | 15:1 | ▼ 15% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.2% | ▲ 7% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 915 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
915
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 17% in Alabama - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
38.7%
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
$13,764
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 229 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
250
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 27.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 28.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
Hispanic or Latino 39.5%
White 30.9%
African American 24.6%
Two or More 3.6%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 39.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.7, Decatur High School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 16
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Decatur City, which includes Decatur High School.
$13,764
Per student
+10%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.5%
State 47.0%
Federal 13.5%
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 Decatur High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Decatur Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Austin Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Austin Junior High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Oak Park Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Decatur High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 999
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 818
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 727
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 664
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 481
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar high schools in Decatur
3 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 (~915 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Decatur High School's federal record.
- Compare Decatur High School against another school. Compare schools
- Decatur City'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 Decatur High School
How many students attend Decatur High School?
Decatur High School has 915 students enrolled. It is a high school in Decatur, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Decatur High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Decatur High School is 15:1, which is 15% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 4% 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 Decatur High School?
63.2% of students at Decatur High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Decatur High School?
The largest demographic group at Decatur High School is Hispanic or Latino at 39.5% of enrollment, in Decatur, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Decatur High School?
Decatur High School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Decatur High School rank among high schools in Decatur?
By Resource Investment Index, Decatur High School ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Decatur, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Decatur on the city page.
Is Decatur High School a good school?
Decatur High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Decatur City?
Besides Decatur High School, Decatur City also operates Austin High School (999 students), Decatur Middle School (818 students), and Austin Middle School (727 students). See the Decatur City 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.