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Etowah County

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At a glance

60^thof 139 Alabama districts▼ 7

Better than 56% of Alabama districts

Elementary 11 Middle 4 High 7 Alternative 1Grades PK, KG-12

401 Broad Street
Gadsden, AL 35901·(256) 549-7560·All Alabama district rankings →

Statewide performance 2018–2026

2026: better than 56.8% of districts

Schools

8,739

Students

5-star school

Top rankedSouthside Elementary School53^rd of 686 Alabama elementary schools

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Biggest riser

Glencoe Elementary School up 71 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Carlisle Elementary School 15.5 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

4★

3★

2★

1★

3 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

Compare Alabama districts →See the top-ranked Alabama schools →

Summary:

The Etowah County school district in Alabama serves approximately 8,148 students across 21 schools—11 elementary, 4 middle, and 6 high schools—in a predominantly rural area with significant economic diversity, as reflected in a district-wide free/reduced lunch rate of about 50.5%.

For parents, the standout school in the district is Southside Elementary School, which ranks in the 92nd percentile statewide with a 5-star rating and boasts exceptional English proficiency rates (93.26% of 5th graders) alongside the district's lowest chronic absenteeism (6.1%) and lowest poverty rate (31.79% free/reduced lunch). John S Jones Elementary School also excels, particularly in 5th grade math (71.79% proficiency, over 32 points above state averages), while Hokes Bluff Middle School leads middle schools with 76.04% 8th grade science proficiency. The Southside feeder pattern—from Southside Elementary through Rainbow Middle School to Southside High School—consistently outperforms other clusters. At the other end, West End Elementary School and West End High School face the greatest challenges, with chronic absenteeism above 32% (more than double the district average) and bottom-quartile rankings. Gaston High School also struggles significantly, with only 5.66% of 11th graders proficient in math despite spending the most per student ($11,715).

Key patterns emerge: elementary schools generally outperform high schools, with math proficiency declining from 44.5% average in elementary grades to just 18.71% in 11th grade (8.5 points below state). Science is a relative strength district-wide, with eight schools exceeding state averages. Attendance strongly correlates with achievement—schools like Duck Springs Elementary (5.6% absenteeism) and Sardis Middle School (5.7%) outperform peers. Notably, Carlisle Elementary shows a dramatic math decline from 40.63% proficiency in 3rd grade to just 13.16% in 5th grade. However, positive momentum exists: Southside Elementary jumped from 113th to 53rd statewide, and Glencoe Elementary improved from 315th to 139th in one year. Graduation rates are strong (96.5% district average vs. 91.5% state), but spending does not predict outcomes—Glencoe Middle School spends the least ($6,661) yet achieves mid-tier results.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				Summative Assessment Mathematics (2026)							Summative Assessment Science (2026)			Summative Assessment English (2026)							Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Summative Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 11th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 11th Grade	Summative Assessment English 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment English 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 5th Grade	Summative Assessment English 6th Grade	Summative Assessment English 7th Grade	Summative Assessment English 8th Grade	Summative Assessment English 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Carlisle Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	8025 Us Highway 431	Boaz	35956	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 622-1115	343	22	15.5	68.8%	235 (68.5%)	4 (1.2%)	79 (23.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	22 (6.4%)	45.6	394^th of 686 public elementary schools	42.6%		41.7	413^th of 680 public elementary schools	39.3%	19	40.6	29.6	13.2					65.9			57.8	60.0	69.2					$9,667	$1,595	$8,073
Duck Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	10180 Duck Springs Rd	Attalla	35954	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 538-6301	207	13	15.9	65.2%	161 (77.8%)	6 (2.9%)	19 (9.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	5 (2.4%)	15 (7.2%)	41.4	422^nd of 686 public elementary schools	38.5%		50.9	347^th of 680 public elementary schools	49.0%	75	24.1	33.3	20.0	25.0				52.4			62.1	61.9	56.7	62.5				$10,593	$2,046	$8,547
Gaston High School	Public	7-12	4550 US Highway 411	Gadsden	35901	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 547-8828	380	20	19.0	63.9%	304 (80.0%)	20 (5.3%)	20 (5.3%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	31 (8.2%)	21.2	304^th of 380 public high schools	20.0%		27.3	258^th of 374 public high schools	31.0%	46					12.5	10.8	5.7		40.0	24.5					47.9	47.7	13.5	$11,715	$2,360	$9,318
Glencoe Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	207 N College St	Glencoe	35905	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 492-4709	397	25	15.8	42.6%	330 (83.1%)	23 (5.8%)	21 (5.3%)	6 (1.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.0%)	77.2	139^th of 686 public elementary schools	79.7%		68.6	210^th of 680 public elementary schools	69.1%	71	55.7	46.7						68.0			82.9	74.7						$8,375	$1,152	$7,223
Glencoe High School	Public	9-12	803 Lonesome Bend Rd	Glencoe	35905	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	No	(256) 492-2250	300	17	17.7	37.7%	271 (90.3%)	8 (2.7%)	12 (4.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.7%)	58.7	133^rd of 380 public high schools	65.0%		51.8	170^th of 374 public high schools	54.5%	37							14.8			40.7							39.2	$11,338	$1,412	$9,922
Hokes Bluff Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5375 Main Street	Hokes Bluff	35903	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 492-5571	610	37	16.4	45.4%	561 (92.0%)	6 (1.0%)	21 (3.4%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (2.6%)	67	220^th of 686 public elementary schools	67.9%		68.9	207^th of 680 public elementary schools	69.6%	13	44.8	43.3	47.7					64.4			79.2	63.3	75.0					$8,280	$1,183	$7,095
Hokes Bluff Middle School	Public	6-8	3121 Appalachian Hwy	Hokes Bluff	35930	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 492-1963	253	16	16.2	46.6%	233 (92.1%)	3 (1.2%)	7 (2.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.6%)	67.4	118^th of 443 public middle schools	73.4%		71.4	97^th of 439 public middle schools	77.9%	21				30.3	21.4	29.2			76.0					62.9	65.7	67.7		$8,192	$1,039	$7,137
Ivalee Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	840 Gallant Rd	Attalla	35954	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 538-9781	200	12	16.3	62.0%	179 (89.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.5%)	71.1	186^th of 686 public elementary schools	72.9%		77.4	138^th of 680 public elementary schools	79.7%	48	51.6	51.9	33.3	37.5				66.7			83.9	66.7	76.2	79.2				$9,714	$1,908	$7,806
John S Jones Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	301 Lumley Rd	Rainbow City	35906	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 442-2900	745	46	16.1	53.7%	527 (70.7%)	101 (13.6%)	37 (5.0%)	24 (3.2%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	54 (7.2%)	74.9	156^th of 686 public elementary schools	77.3%		86.7	74^th of 680 public elementary schools	89.1%	82	45.7	58.8	71.8					66.7			69.5	69.0	78.6					$8,935	$1,866	$7,068
Highland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3156 Tabor Rd	Gadsden	35904	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 546-7409	216	12	18.0	53.7%	185 (85.6%)	7 (3.2%)	6 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (7.9%)	27.2	507^th of 686 public elementary schools	26.1%		40.7	419^th of 680 public elementary schools	38.4%	88	27.8	0.0	16.1	15.4				45.5			61.1	40.9	54.8	53.9				$10,660	$1,779	$8,880
Sardis High School	Public	9-12	1420 Church St	Sardis City	35956	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 593-5221	546	32	16.8	48.7%	432 (79.1%)	3 (0.5%)	76 (13.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (0.9%)	28 (5.1%)	43.5	204^th of 380 public high schools	46.3%		53.4	164^th of 374 public high schools	56.1%	40							16.5			34.7							23.9	$9,558	$1,497	$8,025
Southside High School	Public	9-12	2361 School Drive	Southside	35907	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	No	(256) 442-2172	825	43	19.0	33.7%	690 (83.6%)	46 (5.6%)	39 (4.7%)	22 (2.7%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.0%)	56.5	143^rd of 380 public high schools	62.4%		60.6	130^th of 374 public high schools	65.2%	13							25.0			37.5							28.6	$7,930	$552	$7,332
West End High School	Public	7-12	4515 Elm St	Walnut Grove	35990	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 622-1112	370	21	17.6	54.6%	315 (85.1%)	7 (1.9%)	28 (7.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.1%)	34	254^th of 380 public high schools	33.2%		29.4	250^th of 374 public high schools	33.2%	4					13.8	17.9	14.8		75.0	24.1					48.3	75.0	24.5	$10,088	$1,383	$8,704
West End Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	6795 Highway 132	Altoona	35952	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 622-1085	390	22	17.7	61.3%	330 (84.6%)	5 (1.3%)	32 (8.2%)	3 (0.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.6%)	24.6	522^nd of 686 public elementary schools	23.9%		33.8	455^th of 680 public elementary schools	33.1%	67	22.2	23.9	23.9	14.3				50.0			48.9	45.7	52.2	34.7				$8,873	$1,840	$7,033
Whitesboro Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5080 Leeth Gap Rd	Boaz	35956	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 622-1110	423	23	18.3	42.8%	382 (90.3%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (4.0%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.7%)	79	123^rd of 686 public elementary schools	82.1%		80.9	107^th of 680 public elementary schools	84.3%	16	49.2	52.6	66.1					68.4			76.9	75.4	83.9					$8,979	$1,916	$7,062
Etowah County Special Education Learning Center	Public	PK	401 Broad Street	Gadsden	35901	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	No	(256) 442-1050	1				0 (0.0%)	1 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
The Etowah County Refocus Center	Public, Alternative	4-12	106 Burke Ave Se	Attalla	35954	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	No	(256) 538-8431																			(n/a)
Career Technical Center	Public	9-12	105 Burke Ave SE	Attalla	35954	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	No	(256) 538-3312																			(n/a)
Glencoe Middle School	Public	5-8	809 Lonesome Bend Rd	Glencoe	35905	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 492-5627	272	16	16.6	47.4%	233 (85.7%)	5 (1.8%)	17 (6.3%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.5%)	56.9	174^th of 443 public middle schools	60.7%		61.9	140^th of 439 public middle schools	68.1%	34			28.2	16.1	26.4	24.0			74.0				76.1	41.9	69.4	62.0		$6,661	$397	$6,262
Rainbow Middle School	Public	6-8	454 Lumbley Rd	Rainbow City	35906	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	No	(256) 442-1095	634	31	20.3	40.2%	501 (79.0%)	52 (8.2%)	33 (5.2%)	16 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (5.0%)	72.1	97^th of 443 public middle schools	78.1%		64.6	122^nd of 439 public middle schools	72.2%	25				37.6	29.5	19.6			64.6					74.2	73.2	72.0		$7,303	$720	$6,582
Southside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2551 Highway 77	Southside	35907	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	No	(256) 442-1090	585	34	17.2	31.8%	508 (86.8%)	8 (1.4%)	30 (5.1%)	5 (0.9%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (5.3%)	90	53^rd of 686 public elementary schools	92.3%		83.5	94^th of 680 public elementary schools	86.2%	41	73.5	67.9	51.7					73.8			91.2	85.7	93.3					$7,926	$882	$7,043
Hokes Bluff High School	Public	9-12	1865 Appalachia Rd	Hokes Bluff	35903	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	No	(256) 492-1360	371	21	17.4	42.0%	334 (90.0%)	3 (0.8%)	14 (3.8%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.6%)	46.6	189^th of 380 public high schools	50.3%		66.4	106^th of 374 public high schools	71.7%	83							22.1			36.8							19.6	$10,424	$1,191	$9,200
Sardis Middle School	Public	6-8	1415 Sardis Drive	Sardis City	35956	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 622-1120	381	20	19.2	54.1%	318 (83.5%)	6 (1.6%)	42 (11.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	11 (2.9%)	56.5	178^th of 443 public middle schools	59.8%		52.6	186^th of 439 public middle schools	57.6%	8				31.9	16.1	24.4			57.9					64.3	54.2	62.7		$7,295	$1,217	$6,023
Gaston Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	4550 US Highway 411	Gadsden	35901	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 622-1073	290	18	15.9	67.6%	246 (84.8%)	14 (4.8%)	7 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	20 (6.9%)	54.4	324^th of 686 public elementary schools	52.8%		54.5	320^th of 680 public elementary schools	52.9%	4	74.2	29.4	20.9	31.3				55.9			77.4	44.1	72.1	62.5				$7,023	$864	$6,158

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Boaz City	6.8 mi	5	63^rd
Gadsden City	7.89 mi	15	91^st
Attalla City	8.3 mi	3	106^th
Albertville City	11 mi	7	90^th
Marshall County	12.22 mi	19	97^th

See the top AL Alabama districts

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Alabama State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.