Enrollment
2,159
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Madison, AL
James Clemens High School
Federal NCES profile for James Clemens High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 010000802198
👥 S:T ratio 28
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Clemens High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama.
- #11 of 12
- public schools in Madison · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.1:1
- students per teacher
- 18.8%
- free-lunch eligible
James Clemens High School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Clemens High School ranks #11 of 12 public schools in Madison, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
119.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.8%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-68% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Clemens High School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Clemens High School
James Clemens High School is a lower-poverty, large high school in Madison, Alabama, enrolling 2,159 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.8% free-meal eligibility runs 68% below the Alabama average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alabama, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,159 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 16 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #8.
Its student body is led by White (54%) and African American (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 33 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 432 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
13.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Madison's high schools, it stands alongside Bob Jones High School (2,048 students): James Clemens High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.1:1 vs 18.8:1).
Madison City also operates Bob Jones High School (2,048 students) and Liberty Middle School (1,103 students) alongside James Clemens 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 James Clemens High School compares
James Clemens 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 | 18.1:1 | ▲ 2% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.8% | ▼ 68% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,159 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,159
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 62% in Alabama - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$10,744
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 432 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
97
in-school suspensions + 37 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.2 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 54.1%
African American 19.4%
Asian 10.2%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%
Two or More 5.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 54.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.7, James Clemens High School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 33
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Madison City, which includes James Clemens High School.
$10,744
Per student
-14%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.2%
State 47.9%
Federal 7.9%
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 James Clemens High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Jones High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Liberty Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Midtown Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Discovery Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mill Creek Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Clemens High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,048
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,103
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,097
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,054
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 965
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar high schools in Madison
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 (~2,159 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Clemens High School's federal record.
- Compare James Clemens High School against another school. Compare schools
- Madison 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 James Clemens High School
How many students attend James Clemens High School?
James Clemens High School has 2,159 students enrolled. It is a high school in Madison, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Clemens High School?
The student-teacher ratio at James Clemens High School is 18.1:1, which is 2% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Clemens High School?
18.8% of students at James Clemens High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Clemens High School?
The largest demographic group at James Clemens High School is White at 54.1% of enrollment, in Madison, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Clemens High School?
James Clemens High School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 James Clemens High School rank among public schools in Madison?
By Resource Investment Index, James Clemens High School ranks #11 of 12 public schools in Madison, 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 Madison on the city page.
Is James Clemens High School a good school?
James Clemens High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. 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 Madison City?
Besides James Clemens High School, Madison City also operates Bob Jones High School (2,048 students), Liberty Middle School (1,103 students), and Midtown Elementary School (1,097 students). See the Madison 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.