Best High Schools in Valley, AL

The city of Valley, Alabama, is served by two high schools—Valley High School and Beulah High School—both of which cover grades 7 through 12 and belong to different county districts, Chambers County and Lee County, respectively.

For parents comparing the two, Beulah High School is the stronger academic performer overall. It ranks 184th in the state (3 stars) versus Valley High School’s 215th place (2 stars), and it posts a higher graduation rate (92.4% vs. 91.4%). Beulah also outperforms Valley in every 11th-grade subject, though both schools trail state averages in math and English. Notably, both exceed the state average in science, with Beulah at 40.79% and Valley at 37.84% versus the state’s 36.17%. Beulah benefits from significantly more resources—spending $12,948 per student with a 14:1 student-teacher ratio, compared to Valley’s $8,886 and 18:1 ratio—which likely contributes to its edge. However, Beulah’s math proficiency dropped sharply from 28.75% to 15.79% in one year, while Valley showed dramatic improvement in science (from 17.95% to 37.84%) and math (from 8.97% to 14.86%).

Attendance tells a different story: Valley High School has lower chronic absenteeism (10.3%) than Beulah High School (15.0%), despite Valley’s weaker academics. Both schools serve predominantly economically disadvantaged populations, with over 55% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. The district disparity is stark—Lee County ranks 68th of 139 districts, while Chambers County ranks 110th—raising equity concerns. Beulah’s ranking has also been volatile (210th to 123rd to 184th over three years), suggesting inconsistent performance. For parents, Beulah offers better academics and resources, but Valley shows promising momentum and better attendance, making both viable depending on priorities.