Canva

Best public high schools in Alabama

As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a ’96 commencement address at Wellesley College, “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” If that’s the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.

It’s a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 48.1 million students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in 2020; and there are almost 24,000 public high schools in the U.S., according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

For many anxious parents, getting their kid into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.

Stacker compiled a list of the best public high schools in Alabama using rankings from Niche. Here’s how it breaks down: Niche uses eight factors for its rankings, with each factor given a different weight. A whopping 60% of the score is based on academics and grades, which is calculated using state assessment proficiency tests, SAT/ACT scores, and survey responses. From there, culture and diversity, parent and student surveys on their overall experiences, and teachers each contribute to 10% of the score. Finally, scores for each school’s clubs and activities, health and safety, resources and facilities, and sports constitute 2.5% each.

Keep reading to find out which public high schools are the best in your state.

#25. Enterprise High School
– School district: Enterprise City Schools
– Enrollment: 2,126 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-

#24. Muscle Shoals High School
– School district: Muscle Shoals City Schools
– Enrollment: 864 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#23. Virgil Grissom High School
– School district: Huntsville City Schools
– Enrollment: 1,843 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#22. Helena High School
– School district: Shelby County Schools
– Enrollment: 1,348 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#21. Sweet Water High School
– School district: Marengo County Schools
– Enrollment: 608 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#20. Cullman High School
– School district: Cullman City Schools
– Enrollment: 952 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#19. Huntsville High School
– School district: Huntsville City Schools
– Enrollment: 1,822 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#18. Florence High School
– School district: Florence City Schools
– Enrollment: 1,055 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#17. Athens High School
– School district: Athens City Schools
– Enrollment: 1,056 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#16. Thompson High School
– School district: Alabaster City Schools
– Enrollment: 2,062 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#15. Oak Mt. High School
– School district: Shelby County Schools
– Enrollment: 1,527 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#14. Hartselle High School
– School district: Hartselle City Schools
– Enrollment: 1,032 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#13. Hewitt-Trussville High School
– School district: Trussville City Schools
– Enrollment: 1,545 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#12. Fairhope High School
– School district: Baldwin County Schools
– Enrollment: 1,692 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#11. Alabama School of Fine Arts
– Location: Birmingham
– Enrollment: 350 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

#10. Hoover High School
– School district: Hoover City Schools
– Enrollment: 2,817 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+

#9. Auburn High School
– School district: Auburn City Schools
– Enrollment: 1,921 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+

#8. Spain Park High School
– School district: Hoover City Schools
– Enrollment: 1,634 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+

#7. New Century Technology High School
– School district: Huntsville City Schools
– Enrollment: 455 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+

#6. Bob Jones High School
– School district: Madison City Schools
– Enrollment: 1,818 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+

#5. Vestavia Hills High School
– School district: Vestavia Hills City Schools
– Enrollment: 2,021 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+

#4. James Clemens High School
– School district: Madison City Schools
– Enrollment: 2,066 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+

#3. Homewood High School
– School district: Homewood City Schools
– Enrollment: 1,218 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+

#2. Mt. Brook High School
– School district: Mountain Brook City Schools
– Enrollment: 1,043 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+

#1. Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School
– School district: Montgomery County Schools
– Enrollment: 491 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+

You may also like: Best colleges in Alabama