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 4 public preschools serving 1,595 students in Athens City School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public pre schools in Alabama.
Public Preschools in Athens City School District have an average math proficiency score of 42% (versus the Alabama public pre school average of 34%), and reading proficiency score of 60% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 53% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Alabama public preschool average of 48% (majority Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (AL)
# Schools
9 Schools
596 Schools
# Students
5,405 Students
285,320 Students
# Teachers
283 Teachers
17,073 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
0.63
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
2%
1%
% Hispanic
21%
11%
% Black
17%
30%
% White
54%
52%
% 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 Preschools (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.
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%

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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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