DeKalb County

The DeKalb County school district in Alabama serves approximately 8,769 students across 12 schools, including elementary, middle, high, and K-12 community schools in a rural setting. The district overall earns a 2-star rating, ranking 74th out of 139 districts statewide, though individual school performance varies dramatically.

For parents, the standout success story is Henagar Junior High School, which jumped from the 37th to the 72nd percentile in just two years, now ranking 193rd in the state with 4 stars. It boasts 90% third-grade math proficiency—more than double the district average—and the lowest student-teacher ratio at 12.8:1. Plainview School offers the most consistent excellence across all grades, with 11th-grade math proficiency nearly double the district average, 77.5% eighth-grade science proficiency, and a 97.6% graduation rate. On the other end, Collinsville High School struggles significantly, with only 3.51% eighth-grade math proficiency and 10.61% 11th-grade English proficiency, despite spending the most per student at $16,213. The three Crossville schools form a cluster with the highest poverty rates (82-87% free/reduced lunch) and lowest test scores, while Crossville High School also has a troubling 21.4% chronic absenteeism rate—nearly double the state average.

Encouragingly, every school in the district exceeds the state graduation rate of 91.5%, led by Fyffe High School at 98.1%. Ruhuma Junior High School demonstrates remarkable attendance with just 2.5% chronic absenteeism despite economic challenges. Science proficiency consistently outpaces math and English across schools, and most schools show year-over-year improvement in 11th-grade math. However, strong third-grade performance often fades by eighth grade, suggesting a middle school transition challenge. Notably, higher spending doesn't guarantee better results—Plainview School spends near the bottom yet achieves top academics, while Collinsville High School spends the most with the weakest outcomes.