Opelika City

The Opelika City school district in Alabama serves approximately 5,377 students across 9 schools, including six elementary/primary schools, two middle schools, and one high school, with an overall 2-star rating that places it in the middle-to-lower tier of Alabama districts.

For parents, the standout elementary school is Northside School, which consistently exceeds state averages in English Language Arts across grades 3-5 and posts strong 5th-grade math scores (49% vs. 39% state average). Fox Run School is a notable middle school success, achieving near-state-average proficiency in both math and English despite serving a student population where 74% qualify for free/reduced lunch. On the other end, West Forest Intermediate School is the district's biggest concern, ranking in the 25th percentile with proficiency rates 10-20 points below state averages and the highest poverty rate (91.6%). Carver Primary School also struggles with a 91% poverty rate and the highest chronic absenteeism among primary schools at 14.1%.

District-wide, math proficiency declines as students advance—from 38% in 3rd grade to 23% in 7th grade—though 8th-grade science at Opelika Middle School (58.9%) beats the state average (54.1%). Chronic absenteeism is a major issue at Opelika High School (20%) and Opelika Middle School (16.5%), while Southview Primary School has remarkably low absenteeism at just 5.1%. Funding varies significantly, with Opelika High School receiving $11,942 per student versus just $8,645 at Opelika Middle School. Morris Avenue Intermediate School shows a puzzling pattern—strong 3rd-grade scores (70.5% English proficiency) but a dramatic drop to 20% math proficiency by 5th grade. Overall, the district's strengths lie in early elementary English and 8th-grade science, while middle school math and high school attendance need the most attention.