Alabama has a wealth of excellent school districts, the best of which serve suburbs of the state’s largest cities. Of Alabama’s top ten school districts, five represent suburbs of the state’s most populous city, Birmingham, while three others are located near Huntsville, Alabama’s third largest city.

The Cotton State’s best school district is the Mountain Brook School System, serving Mountain Brook, a suburb of Birmingham and one of the most well-to-do towns in the state. Encompassing four K-6 elementary schools, one junior high school, and one high school, the Mountain Brook School system has been repeatedly recognized for its excellence over the years, most recently being named a 2016 Distinguished District by the International Society for Technology in Education.

Vestavia Hills City School System, representing Vestavia Hills, another affluent suburb of Birmingham, ranks second on the list. The school district regularly exceeds standardized test proficiency standards and boasts a 95% graduation rate.

At #3 is the Homewood City School District, serving the Birmingham suburb, Homewood. A smaller district of three elementary schools , one middle school, and one high school, Homewood City School’s mission statement is “to educate and empower all students to maximize their unique potential.”

Fourth on the list is Madison City Schools based in Madison, a suburb of Huntsville. The district recently expanded, opening the brand new James Clemens High School in 2012.

Rounding out the top five is the Cullman City Board of Education, known as the first district in the state to enact a 1:1 Laptop Initiative, supplying all of its middle school and high school students with a laptop for educational use.

Top School Districts in Alabama, 2018

State RankSchool DistrictState
1Mountain Brook CityAlabama
2Vestavia Hills CityAlabama
3Homewood CityAlabama
4Madison CityAlabama
5Cullman CityAlabama
6Auburn CityAlabama
7Muscle Shoals CityAlabama
8Arab CityAlabama
9Hoover CityAlabama
10Trussville CityAlabama
11Hartselle CityAlabama
12Madison CountyAlabama
13Winfield CityAlabama
14Shelby CountyAlabama
15Enterprise CityAlabama
16Autauga CountyAlabama
17Guntersville CityAlabama
18Baldwin CountyAlabama
19Oxford CityAlabama
20Oneonta CityAlabama
21Andalusia CityAlabama
22Lauderdale CountyAlabama
23Cullman CountyAlabama
24Etowah CountyAlabama
25Jasper CityAlabama
26Pell CityAlabama
27Marion CountyAlabama
28Morgan CountyAlabama
29Dekalb CountyAlabama
30Pike CountyAlabama
31Jackson CountyAlabama
32Franklin CountyAlabama
33Huntsville CityAlabama
34St Clair CountyAlabama
35Athens CityAlabama
36Calhoun CountyAlabama
37Tuscaloosa CountyAlabama
38Cleburne CountyAlabama
39Dothan CityAlabama
40Lee CountyAlabama
41Boaz CityAlabama
42Florence CityAlabama
43Houston CountyAlabama
44Coffee CountyAlabama
45Covington CountyAlabama
46Scottsboro CityAlabama
47Elmore CountyAlabama
48Jefferson CountyAlabama
49Jacksonville CityAlabama
50Decatur CityAlabama
51Geneva CityAlabama
52Dale CountyAlabama
53Marshall CountyAlabama
54Sylacauga CityAlabama
55Limestone CountyAlabama
56Mobile CountyAlabama
57Blount CountyAlabama
58Brewton CityAlabama
59Chilton CountyAlabama
60Colbert CountyAlabama
61Lamar CountyAlabama
62Haleyville CityAlabama
63Talladega CountyAlabama
64Tuscumbia CityAlabama
65Piedmont CityAlabama
66Leeds CityAlabama
67Alexander CityAlabama
68Lawrence CountyAlabama
69Attalla CityAlabama
70Escambia CountyAlabama
71Opp CityAlabama
72Fort Payne CityAlabama
73Fayette CountyAlabama
74Walker CountyAlabama
75Cherokee CountyAlabama
76Winston CountyAlabama
77Clay CountyAlabama
78Opelika CityAlabama
79Albertville CityAlabama
80Russellville CityAlabama
81Tuscaloosa CityAlabama
82Ozark CityAlabama
83Demopolis CityAlabama
84Phenix CityAlabama
85Coosa CountyAlabama
86Tallapoosa CountyAlabama
87Bibb CountyAlabama
88Thomasville CityAlabama
89Montgomery CountyAlabama
90Tallassee CityAlabama
91Troy CityAlabama
92Henry CountyAlabama
93Geneva CountyAlabama
94Crenshaw CountyAlabama
95Hale CountyAlabama
96Russell CountyAlabama
97Gadsden CityAlabama
98Conecuh CountyAlabama
99Sheffield CityAlabama
100Butler CountyAlabama

Methodology

The following contributed to the ranking: student performance (math and reading test scores), dropout rates, school funding, and area poverty rates. Data was collected from a total of 9,577 school districts.

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