Enrollment
1,648
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Birmingham, AL
Oak Mountain High School
Federal NCES profile for Oak Mountain High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 010303001189
👥 S:T ratio 22
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Oak Mountain High School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama.
- #3 of 6
- high schools in Birmingham · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 19.4:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 19.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Oak Mountain High School has class sizes larger than 77% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Oak Mountain High School ranks #3 of 6 high schools in Birmingham, AL.
School address
District: Shelby County · Alabama
NCES ID 010303001189 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
85.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.4:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
19.4%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-67% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Oak Mountain High School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Oak Mountain High School
Oak Mountain High School is a lower-poverty, large high school in Birmingham, Alabama, enrolling 1,648 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 19.4% free-meal eligibility runs 67% below the Alabama average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alabama, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,648 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 32 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #16.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and African American (10%) (diversity index 45/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 21 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 412 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
16.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 15 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Birmingham's high schools, it stands alongside Parker High School (942 students): Oak Mountain High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.4:1 vs 26.2:1).
Shelby County also operates Helena High School (1,383 students) and Chelsea High School (1,235 students) alongside Oak Mountain 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 Oak Mountain High School compares
Oak Mountain 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 | 19.4:1 | ▲ 10% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 19.4% | ▼ 67% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,648 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.4:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,648
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
19.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 67% 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
19.4:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 77% in Alabama - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
16.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,253
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 412 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
92
in-school suspensions + 39 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 15 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 72.6%
African American 10.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.8%
Asian 5.5%
Two or More 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 72.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.9, Oak Mountain High School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 21
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Shelby County, which includes Oak Mountain High School.
$11,253
Per student
-10%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.9%
State 51.9%
Federal 9.2%
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 Oak Mountain High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helena High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chelsea High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oak Mountain Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Calera High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Helena Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Oak Mountain High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,383
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,235
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,168
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,018
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 957
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar high schools in Birmingham
5 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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
George Washington Carver High School
Standard public school
570 students 15.4:1 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 (~1,648 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Oak Mountain High School's federal record.
- Compare Oak Mountain High School against another school. Compare schools
- Shelby 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 Oak Mountain High School
How many students attend Oak Mountain High School?
Oak Mountain High School has 1,648 students enrolled. It is a high school in Birmingham, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Oak Mountain High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Oak Mountain High School is 19.4:1, which is 10% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Oak Mountain High School?
19.4% of students at Oak Mountain High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Oak Mountain High School?
The largest demographic group at Oak Mountain High School is White at 72.6% of enrollment, in Birmingham, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Oak Mountain High School?
Oak Mountain High School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher 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 Oak Mountain High School rank among high schools in Birmingham?
By Resource Investment Index, Oak Mountain High School ranks #3 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 Oak Mountain High School a good school?
Oak Mountain High School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Alabama schools. 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 Shelby County?
Besides Oak Mountain High School, Shelby County also operates Helena High School (1,383 students), Chelsea High School (1,235 students), and Oak Mountain Middle School (1,168 students). See the Shelby 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.