Enrollment
1,588
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Smiths Station, AL
Smiths Station High School
Federal NCES profile for Smiths Station High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 010207000795
👥 S:T ratio 18
📚 AP courses 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 15
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Smiths Station High School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama.
- #6 of 6
- public schools in Smiths Station · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.6:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 44.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Smiths Station High School has class sizes larger than 87% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Smiths Station High School ranks #6 of 6 public schools in Smiths Station, AL.
School address
District: Lee County · Alabama
NCES ID 010207000795 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
77.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.6:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.3%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Smiths Station High School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Smiths Station High School
Smiths Station High School is a large high school in Smiths Station, Alabama, enrolling 1,588 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.6:1 is larger than about 87% of Alabama schools and 16% above the 17.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alabama, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,588 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 1,365 Alabama schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 53 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #50, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and African American (20%) (diversity index 55/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 10 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 529 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Smiths Station's high schools, it stands alongside Smith Station Freshman Center (463 students): Smiths Station High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.6:1 vs 17.1:1).
Lee County also operates Smiths Station Junior High School (910 students) and West Smiths Station Elementary School (811 students) alongside Smiths Station 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 Smiths Station High School compares
Smiths Station 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 | 20.6:1 | ▲ 16% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.3% | ▼ 25% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,588 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.6:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,588
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.6:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 87% in Alabama - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
33.9%
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
$11,578
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 529 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
216
in-school suspensions + 90 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 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 63.1%
African American 19.8%
Hispanic or Latino 8.7%
Two or More 7.7%
Asian 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 63.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.9, Smiths Station High School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 10
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lee County, which includes Smiths Station High School.
$11,578
Per student
-7%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.3%
State 53.3%
Federal 14.4%
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 Smiths Station High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smiths Station Junior High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Smiths Station Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Smiths Station Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Beauregard Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Beulah Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Smiths Station High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 910
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 811
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 785
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 783
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 696
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar high schools in Smiths Station
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 (~1,588 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Smiths Station High School's federal record.
- Compare Smiths Station High School against another school. Compare schools
- Lee 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 Smiths Station High School
How many students attend Smiths Station High School?
Smiths Station High School has 1,588 students enrolled. It is a high school in Smiths Station, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Smiths Station High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Smiths Station High School is 20.6:1, which is 16% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Smiths Station High School?
44.3% of students at Smiths Station High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Smiths Station High School?
The largest demographic group at Smiths Station High School is White at 63.1% of enrollment, in Smiths Station, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Smiths Station High School?
Smiths Station High School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Smiths Station High School rank among public schools in Smiths Station?
By Resource Investment Index, Smiths Station High School ranks #6 of 6 public schools in Smiths Station, 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 Smiths Station on the city page.
Is Smiths Station High School a good school?
Smiths Station High School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 Lee County?
Besides Smiths Station High School, Lee County also operates Smiths Station Junior High School (910 students), West Smiths Station Elementary School (811 students), and East Smiths Station Elementary School (785 students). See the Lee 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.