High Schools in Montgomery County

The Montgomery County school district contains 8 high schools serving grades 9-12 (with one exception serving grades 6-12), and it presents one of the most dramatic performance divides seen in any single district in Alabama. The district ranks in the 19th percentile statewide, but this average masks a stark two-tier system: three magnet schools achieve elite results while five traditional comprehensive high schools struggle with single-digit proficiency rates and chronic absenteeism above 50%.

For parents, the standout choice is clearly Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School (LAMP), which has ranked #1 in Alabama for three straight years with 95%+ proficiency in math and science, a 100% graduation rate, and only 6.3% chronic absenteeism. Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School is the next best option, ranking 36th in the state with a 97.8% graduation rate and proficiency scores 8-22 points above state averages. Booker T Washington Magnet High School also achieves a 100% graduation rate, though its math proficiency (29%) lags far behind its English proficiency (61%). Among traditional schools, Park Crossing High School is the least troubled, with a 90.5% graduation rate and only 11.5% absenteeism, yet still only 4.5% of its students are proficient in math. The remaining traditional schools—Johnson Abernathy Graetz High School, Carver Senior High School, and Percy Julian High School—all have proficiency rates below 13% in every subject, with Percy Julian showing a concerning three-year decline to the 3rd percentile statewide.

The most striking finding is the spending paradox at McIntyre Comprehensive Academy, which spends $38,362 per student—more than four times the district average—yet achieves 0% proficiency in math and English and a 48.6% graduation rate. This suggests funding alone cannot fix systemic issues. The strongest predictor of success across all schools is attendance: schools with chronic absenteeism below 12% (LAMP, Brewbaker, Park Crossing) dramatically outperform those above 50% (JAG, Percy Julian). Smaller magnet schools with selective admissions consistently outperform larger comprehensive schools, but the district's overall ranking has remained stagnant for three years, indicating that magnet success is not translating to the broader student population.