Athens City School District

455 Us Highway 31 North
Athens, AL 35611-2653
(District boundaries shown in map)
7/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Athens City School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Alabama for:

Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 8 public elementary schools serving 4,127 students in Athens City School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public elementary schools in Alabama.
Public Elementary Schools in Athens City School District have an average math proficiency score of 31% (versus the Alabama public elementary school average of 31%), and reading proficiency score of 56% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 45% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Alabama public elementary school average of 50% (majority Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (AL)
# Schools
9 Schools
1,087 Schools
# Students
5,405 Students
522,452 Students
# Teachers
283 Teachers
29,608 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
19:1
19:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Athens City School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 145 school districts in Alabama (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 90% has increased from 89% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (AL)
#47 out of 145 school districts
(Top 50%)
30%
30%
54%
47%
44%
38%
90%
88%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.64
0.64
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
2%
1%
% Hispanic
21%
12%
% Black
17%
31%
% White
54%
50%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $12,260 in this school district is less than the state median of $12,875. The school district revenue/student has declined by 11% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $9,845 is less than the state median of $12,097. The school district spending/student has declined by 13% over four school years.
This School District
This State (AL)
Total Revenue
$66 MM
$9,671 MM
Spending
$53 MM
$9,086 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,260
$12,875
Spending / Student
$9,845
$12,097

Best Athens City School District Public Elementary Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Brookhill Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 70-74%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
320 Brookhill Dr
Athens, AL 35611
(256) 233-6603
Gr: PK-3 | 380 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 34%
Rank: #22.
Julian Newman Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 65-69%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
601 S Clinton Street
Athens, AL 35611
(256) 233-6630
Gr: PK-3 | 409 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 47%
Rank: #33.
Athens Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
515 N Madison St
Athens, AL 35611
(256) 233-6609
Gr: PK-3 | 474 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 66%
Rank: #44.
Athens Renaissance School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
405 South Street East
Athens, AL 35611
(256) 614-3708
Gr: K-12 | 606 students Student-teacher ratio: 28:1 Minority enrollment: 16%
Rank: #55.
Athens Intermediate School
(Math: 38% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
1916 Us Hwy 72 W
Athens, AL 35611
(256) 230-2880
Gr: 4-5 | 641 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 52%
Rank: #66.
Athens Middle School
(Math: 22% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
100 Hwy 31 North
Athens, AL 35611
(256) 233-6620
Gr: 6-8 | 935 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 53%
Rank: #77.
James L Cowart Elementary School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1701 W Hobbs St
Athens, AL 35611
(256) 233-6627
Gr: PK-3 | 332 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 63%
Rank: n/an/a
455 Us Highway 31 North
Athens, AL 35611
(256) 771-0752
Gr: 4-12 | 350 students Student-teacher ratio: 44:1 Minority enrollment: 23%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 9 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 5,405 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 19:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 46%
  • : 90% (Top 50% in AL)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 30% (Top 50%)
  • : 54% (Top 30%)
  • : 44% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), AL Dept. of Education

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