Enrollment
942
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Birmingham, AL
Parker High School
Federal NCES profile for Parker High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 12/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 010039000165
👥 S:T ratio 0
📚 AP courses 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 6
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Parker High School earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Alabama schools.
- #6 of 6
- high schools in Birmingham · Resource Index
- 12
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.2:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 83.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Parker High School has class sizes larger than 98% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Parker High School ranks #6 of 6 high schools in Birmingham, AL.
School address
District: Birmingham City · Alabama
NCES ID 010039000165 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.2:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+48% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
83.9%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Parker High School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Parker High School
Parker High School is a high-poverty, large high school in Birmingham, Alabama, enrolling 942 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.2:1 is larger than about 98% of Alabama schools and 48% above the 17.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 83.9% of students qualify for free meals, 43% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alabama, bigger than 91% of state schools at 942 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 1,365 Alabama schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 84 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #83, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (80%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 33/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 3 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 471 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.9% 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): Parker High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (26.2:1 vs 19.4:1).
Birmingham City also operates Huffman High Schoolmagnet (1,094 students) and Glen Iris Elementary School (827 students) alongside Parker 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 Parker High School compares
Parker 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 | 26.2:1 | ▲ 48% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 83.9% | ▲ 43% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 942 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.2:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
942
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
83.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% 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
26.2:1
students per teacher
- 48% above state mean
Top 98% in Alabama - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
36.9%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 471 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 103 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.0 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 79.9%
Hispanic or Latino 17.9%
Two or More 1.4%
White 0.4%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 79.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.9, Parker High School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Birmingham City, which includes Parker 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 Parker High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huffman High Schoolmagnet | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Glen Iris Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Huffman Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ramsay High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Woodlawn High Schoolmagnet | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Parker 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
- 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
- Enrollment
- 750
- Students per teacher
- 27.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
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
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 (~942 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Parker High School's federal record.
- Compare Parker 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 Parker High School
How many students attend Parker High School?
Parker High School has 942 students enrolled. It is a high school in Birmingham, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Parker High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Parker High School is 26.2:1, which is 48% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 67% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Parker High School?
83.9% of students at Parker High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Parker High School?
The largest demographic group at Parker High School is African American at 79.9% of enrollment, in Birmingham, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Parker High School?
Parker High School has a Resource Investment Index of 12/100 (lower 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 Parker High School rank among high schools in Birmingham?
By Resource Investment Index, Parker High School ranks #6 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 Parker High School a good school?
Parker High School earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% 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 Parker High School, Birmingham City also operates Huffman High Schoolmagnet (1,094 students), Glen Iris Elementary School (827 students), and Huffman Academy (779 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.