High Schools in Randolph County

Randolph County is home to two high schools—Randolph County High School and Woodland High School—both serving grades 7-12 within the Randolph County school district, which ranks in the bottom third of Alabama districts.

Woodland High School is the stronger overall performer. It graduates 93.1% of its students—above the state average of 91.5%—compared to 87.0% at Randolph County High School. Woodland also has better attendance, with 14.6% chronic absenteeism versus 18.5% at Randolph County High School, and it currently holds a slightly higher state ranking (193rd vs. 200th). Notably, Woodland spends $13,308 per student compared to just $9,511 at Randolph County High School, a 40% gap that raises questions about resource allocation within the same district. However, this higher spending does not translate into consistently better test scores. In 11th grade math, Randolph County High School actually improved to 20.63% proficiency while Woodland slipped to 19.05%. Woodland did post a dramatic 11.9-point gain in 11th grade science (33.33% proficient), while Randolph County High School dropped 6.1 points to 22.22%.

The most alarming data point is Woodland's 8th grade math proficiency of just 2.38%—nearly 24 points below the state average and a sharp drop from 17.39% the prior year. This suggests a possible cohort-specific issue or curriculum challenge that needs immediate attention. Conversely, Randolph County High School shines in 8th grade science at 57.14% proficiency, exceeding both the district and state averages. Both schools struggle with chronic absenteeism well above the state's 12.0% rate, and both serve predominantly low-income populations (63.7% and 56.1% free/reduced lunch). While Woodland's graduation success is commendable given these challenges, its test scores remain below state averages, indicating a disconnect between supporting students to graduation and ensuring academic mastery. Parents should investigate the 8th grade math situation at Woodland and the spending disparity between these two schools.