Summary:
Foley, Alabama is home to a single public high school, Foley High School, which serves grades 9 through 12 and enrolls approximately 1,520 students within the Baldwin County school district.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Foley High School is a large school facing significant challenges, particularly when compared to its own district. While the Baldwin County district ranks in the top quarter of Alabama districts (33rd out of 139), Foley High School's academic performance lags well behind district averages. In the most recent testing year, proficiency rates in math (26.79%), science (30.36%), and English (30.79%) were all substantially lower than the district's rates (38.03%, 44.41%, and 47.92%, respectively). The school's graduation rate of 86.3% also falls below both the district (89.6%) and state (91.5%) averages. Perhaps most concerning is the school's chronic absenteeism rate of 21.5%, which is nearly double the district rate of 11.2% and the state rate of 12.0%. This high absenteeism likely contributes to the lower test scores and graduation rates.
There are also signs of a declining trajectory. Foley High School's state ranking has dropped for two consecutive years, from the 76th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 60th percentile in 2025-2026. While math and English scores improved slightly in the latest year, other schools are improving faster, causing the school's relative position to worsen. Additionally, nearly 60% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating that a majority of the student body comes from economically disadvantaged backgrounds—a factor that often correlates with additional hurdles. On a positive note, the student-teacher ratio is a reasonable 15.6, and the school is part of a well-regarded district. However, parents should be aware that the school's performance is notably weaker than the district as a whole, and the high absenteeism rate is a red flag that warrants attention.
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