Alabama · NCES CCD 2024-25

Best Public Schools in Alabama

Top 50 schools ranked by resource quality score, based on student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance.

72/100
Top score
B
Top grade
59/100
Avg score (top 50)
50
Schools ranked

The ranking in one line

Dc Wolfe School in Shorter is Alabama's top-resourced public school, scoring 72/100 on the NCES resource index.

72/100
top score (grade B)
1
schools at the top grade (B)
59/100
average across the top 50
# School GradeScore
1 Dc Wolfe School Shorter B 72
2 Mount Hope Mt Hope B- 68
3 Saks Middle School Anniston B- 66
4 Monte Sano Elementary School Huntsville B- 66
5 Tuscaloosa Magnet School Middle Tuscaloosa B- 66
6 Notasulga High School Notasulga B- 65
7 Marengo High School Dixons Mills C+ 63
8 Reform Elementary School Reform C+ 63
9 Liberty Park Middle School Vestavia C+ 62
10 Chapman Elementary School Huntsville C+ 62
11 Repton Junior High School Repton C+ 62
12 Academy for Academics and Arts Middle School Huntsville C+ 61
13 Rock Mills Junior High School Roanoke C+ 61
14 Crestline Elementary School Mountain Brook C+ 60
15 Academy for Science Foreign Language Middle School Huntsville C+ 60
16 Conecuh County Junior High School Castleberry C+ 60
17 Tuscaloosa Magnet School Elementary Tuscaloosa C 59
18 New Bethel Elementary School Tuscumbia C 59
19 Vestavia Hills High School Vestavia Hills C 58
20 Vestavia Hills High School Freshman Campus Vestavia Hills C 58
21 Eura Brown Elementary School Gadsden C 58
22 Hazlewood Elementary School Town Creek C 58
23 Princeton School Birmingham C 58
24 Barbour County Primary School Clayton C 58
25 Leroy High School Leroy C 57
26 Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School Pleasant Grove C 57
27 Gaylesville High School Gaylesville C 57
28 Mountain Gap Elementary School Huntsville C 57
29 Fort Deposit Elementary School Fort Deposit C 57
30 Camden School of Arts Technology Camden C 57
31 Steele Elementary School Steele C 57
32 Booker T Washington High Tuskegee C 56
33 Adams Elementary School Gadsden C 56
34 Walter Jackson Elementary School Decatur C 56
35 Epic Alternative Elementary School Birmingham C 56
36 Piney Chapel Elementary School Athens C 56
37 Alabama Destinations Career Academy Chickasaw C 55
38 Homewood Middle School Homewood C 55
39 Magnolia Elementary School Trussville C 55
40 Magic City Acceptance Academy Birmingham C 55
41 Woodland Elementary School Woodland C 55
42 Jackson Intermediate School Jackson C 55
43 Eastwood Elementary School Decatur C 55
44 Mitchell Elementary School Gadsden C 55
45 Robinson Primary School Fairfield C 55
46 J F Shields High School Beatrice C 55
47 Sparkman Elementary School Hartselle C 55
48 Brookwood Forest Elementary School Mountain Brook C- 54
49 Mountain Brook Elementary School Mountain Brook C- 54
50 Alexandria High School Alexandria C- 54

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best public schools in Alabama?

The top-rated school in Alabama is Dc Wolfe School in Shorter with a quality score of 72/100 (grade B). Rankings are based on student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, gifted programs, and attendance rates from NCES data.

How are school quality scores calculated?

Quality scores (0-100) are computed from NCES data across 4 metrics: student-teacher ratio (lower is better, national avg ~16:1), counselor availability (ASCA recommends 250:1), gifted program availability, and chronic absenteeism rate (lower is better). This measures school resources, not test scores.

Methodology

Quality scores (0-100) are computed from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 metrics: student-teacher ratio, school counselor availability, gifted program access, and chronic absenteeism rates. Schools must have at least 50 students and data for one or more metrics. This measures resource quality, not test scores. Higher scores indicate smaller class sizes, better counselor access, and lower absenteeism.