Alabama Aerospace and Aviation

Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School is the sole school in the Alabama Aerospace and Aviation district, a specialized public high school in Bessemer, AL, serving grades 9-12 with 161 students. This single-school district offers a unique, career-focused curriculum in aerospace and aviation, but its small size means the school’s overall performance is heavily influenced by individual cohorts of students.

Academically, the school presents a striking paradox. In English, 11th graders scored 34.88% proficient, slightly above the state average of 33.73%, showing a clear strength in literacy. However, in the STEM subjects that are central to its mission, performance is far below state norms: only 16.28% of students are proficient in Science (state: 36.17%) and just 11.63% in Mathematics (state: 27.21%). This gap is especially concerning given the school’s aerospace theme, which relies heavily on math and science foundations. The school also faces a significant attendance challenge, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 31.1%—more than 2.5 times the state average of 12.0%—which likely contributes to the low math and science scores, as these subjects require consistent, sequential learning. Additionally, the student-to-teacher ratio of 20.1:1 is relatively high, limiting opportunities for individualized support.

There are also troubling year-over-year trends. From 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, math proficiency slipped from 13.21% to 11.63%, while science proficiency dropped sharply from 28.3% to 16.28%. This rapid decline in core STEM areas is alarming for a school designed to prepare students for aerospace careers. On a positive note, the school’s English performance remains resilient despite attendance issues, suggesting effective literacy instruction. With 61.49% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, the school serves a predominantly low-income population. Overall, Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School ranks 253rd out of 380 Alabama high schools (2-star rating), indicating significant room for improvement, particularly in math and science, where targeted interventions could yield rapid gains given the small student body.