Enrollment
570
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Birmingham, AL
George Washington Carver High School
Federal NCES profile for George Washington Carver High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 010039001468
👥 S:T ratio 38
📚 AP courses 15
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 62
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
George Washington Carver High School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of Alabama schools.
- #2 of 6
- high schools in Birmingham · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 81.9%
- free-lunch eligible
George Washington Carver High School has class sizes smaller than 80% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, George Washington Carver High School ranks #2 of 6 high schools in Birmingham, AL.
School address
District: Birmingham City · Alabama
NCES ID 010039001468 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.9%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How George Washington Carver High School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at George Washington Carver High School
George Washington Carver High School is a high-poverty, mid-sized high school in Birmingham, Alabama, enrolling 570 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 81.9% of students qualify for free meals, 39% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 570 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 253 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #32.
Its student body is led by African American (73%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 40/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 3 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 190 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 64.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Birmingham's high schools, it stands alongside Oak Mountain High School (1,648 students): George Washington Carver High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 19.4:1).
Birmingham City also operates Huffman High Schoolmagnet (1,094 students) and Parker High School (942 students) alongside George Washington Carver 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 George Washington Carver High School compares
George Washington Carver 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 | 15.4:1 | ▼ 13% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.9% | ▲ 39% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 570 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
570
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 20% in Alabama - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
64.4%
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
$13,890
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 190 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
34
in-school suspensions + 53 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.3 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
African American 73.3%
Hispanic or Latino 25.3%
Two or More 0.7%
White 0.4%
Asian 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 73.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.9, George Washington Carver High School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Birmingham City, which includes George Washington Carver High School.
$13,890
Per student
+11%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.0%
State 43.8%
Federal 23.2%
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 George Washington Carver High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huffman High Schoolmagnet | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parker High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glen Iris Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Huffman Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ramsay High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to George Washington Carver High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,094
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 942
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 827
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 779
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar high schools in Birmingham
5 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Oak Mountain High School
Standard public school
1,648 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Parker High School
Standard public school
942 students 26.2:1 students per teacher
Ramsay High School
Standard public school
762 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Woodlawn High Schoolmagnet
Standard public school
750 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Wenonah High School
Standard public school
670 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
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 (~570 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on George Washington Carver High School's federal record.
- Compare George Washington Carver High School against another school. Compare schools
- Birmingham 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 George Washington Carver High School
How many students attend George Washington Carver High School?
George Washington Carver High School has 570 students enrolled. It is a high school in Birmingham, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at George Washington Carver High School?
The student-teacher ratio at George Washington Carver High School is 15.4:1, which is 13% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 2% 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 George Washington Carver High School?
81.9% of students at George Washington Carver High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of George Washington Carver High School?
The largest demographic group at George Washington Carver High School is African American at 73.3% of enrollment, in Birmingham, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for George Washington Carver High School?
George Washington Carver High School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 George Washington Carver High School rank among high schools in Birmingham?
By Resource Investment Index, George Washington Carver High School ranks #2 of 6 high schools in Birmingham, 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 Birmingham on the city page.
Is George Washington Carver High School a good school?
George Washington Carver High School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% 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 Birmingham City?
Besides George Washington Carver High School, Birmingham City also operates Huffman High Schoolmagnet (1,094 students), Parker High School (942 students), and Glen Iris Elementary School (827 students). See the Birmingham 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.