Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Charles F Hard Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

655^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 686 Alabama Elementary Schools

Better than 5% of Alabama elementary schools

Summary

Charles F Hard Elementary School in Bessemer, AL, serves 364 students from Pre-K through 5th grade within the Bessemer City district, a community where over 80% of families qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The most encouraging news for parents is that Charles F Hard has solved a problem many schools struggle with: getting kids to class. With a chronic absenteeism rate of just 8.6% in 2024-2025, the school dramatically outperforms its district average of 21.5% and even beats the state average of 12.0%. This means your child will be in a building full of peers who show up ready to learn. There's also positive momentum in academics. The 2025-2026 school year brought the school's best state ranking in years, climbing from the 1st to the 5th percentile. Fifth-grade English proficiency jumped to 43.59%, nearly matching the district average, and fourth-grade math scores hit their highest point in four years. Female students, in particular, have shown remarkable improvement, moving from the 1st to the 12th percentile in a single year.

However, the school still faces significant challenges. Overall test scores remain low, with math proficiency lagging far behind reading. The school's performance is volatile year-to-year, and male students continue to score in the bottom 3% statewide. A comparison with nearby schools is revealing. Abrams Elementary School, just over a mile away in the same district, ranks in the 18th percentile, showing that better outcomes are possible within the same system. Even more striking is Lipscomb Elementary School, only 1.6 miles away in the Jefferson County district, which serves a similar student population yet ranks in the 34th percentile with third-grade math proficiency nearly seven times higher. With a student-teacher ratio of 19.1—higher than most comparable schools—and per-student spending of $11,340, the resources exist to improve. The strong attendance and recent gains suggest a foundation to build on, but parents should expect that significant academic growth will require continued, focused effort.

364

Students ?

19.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,340

Per pupil spending ?

80.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2801 Arlington Ave
Bessemer, AL 35020

(205) 432-3300

District: Bessemer City

Students who attend Charles F Hard Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Bessemer City Middle School
High:	Bessemer City High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

86.8%

Hispanic:

7.4%

Two or more races:

4.4%

See top rated Alabama elementary schools

Compare Charles F Hard Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 5th percentile in 2016 → 5th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Alabama average (22% vs 53% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (5th percentile)

!Science scores 33 pts below the Alabama average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school22%

District avg25%

Alabama avg53%

655^th of 686

Alabama public elementary schools ?

Bottom 5%▼ down 1 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Alabama Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 5Elementary Schools in the Bessemer City

133^rd of 140Bessemer City among Alabama districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	8.6	655 of 686	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	4.6	676 of 680	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	5.8	674 of 684	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	10.0	631 of 680	7.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	7.7	677 of 687	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	8.5	678 of 692	2.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	11.4	629 of 681	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	25.0	513 of 680	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	8.4	658 of 688	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	8.9	656 of 691	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	7.4	675 of 691	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	10.3	665 of 695	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	14.0	667 of 696	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	24.2	609 of 696	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	15.2	667 of 709	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	7.4	684 of 704	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	18.9	638 of 696	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	23.0	620 of 698	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	22.3	609 of 698	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	11.5	669 of 689	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	21.3	611 of 688	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	12.5	593 of 623	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	19.1	391 of 428	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	10.2	424 of 427	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	14.1	410 of 420	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	24.9	348 of 427	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	18.1	402 of 426	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	16.9	412 of 426	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	29.3	335 of 426	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	47.1	219 of 423	48.2%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	14.2	573 of 651	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	5.3	643 of 649	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.5	630 of 650	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	11.7	593 of 645	8.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	6.7	653 of 656	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	8.5	651 of 656	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	17.9	551 of 646	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	33.8	448 of 640	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2017	11.2	597 of 639	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	10.3	640 of 667	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	5.8	658 of 660	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.4	663 of 670	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	15.3	561 of 623	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	10.5	635 of 651	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	10.9	633 of 653	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	17.2	584 of 649	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	36.0	444 of 651	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2017	9.7	542 of 567	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	7.6	641 of 659	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	5.4	645 of 651	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	5.9	648 of 655	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	9.6	610 of 649	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	9.7	644 of 669	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	10.1	643 of 669	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	9.4	620 of 650	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	21.3	523 of 650	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	8.6	613 of 639	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Female (2026)12th percentile+7 vs school

African American (2026)9th percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)4th percentile~ school

Male (2026)3rd percentile~ school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

English32%-33 vs state

Science17%-33 vs state

Mathematics14%-28 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Charles F Hard Elementary School and help other families decide.

Rate Charles F Hard Elementary School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Charles F Hard Elementary School

Load more schools when map is moved

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 Science 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment English 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Charles F Hard Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2801 Arlington Ave	Bessemer	35020	Jefferson County	Bessemer City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 432-3300	364	19	19.1	80.8%	3 (0.8%)	316 (86.8%)	27 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	16 (4.4%)	8.6	655^th of 686 public elementary schools	4.5%		4.6	676^th of 680 public elementary schools	0.6%	21	8.3	14.9	18.0	17.0	21.3	29.8	43.6	$11,340	$1,980	$9,345
Empower Community SchoolLower School	Public, Charter	K-3	2410 7th Ave North	Bessemer	35020	Jefferson County	Empower Schools of Alabama	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(205) 413-8600	201	11	27.4	71.1%	5 (2.5%)	168 (83.6%)	22 (10.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.0%)								(n/a)	18.5				40.7
Abrams Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1200 23rd Street North	Bessemer	35020	Jefferson County	Bessemer City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 432-3100	231	14	16.5	79.2%	6 (2.6%)	195 (84.4%)	26 (11.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.7%)	19.2	562^nd of 686 public elementary schools	18.1%		14.8	589^th of 680 public elementary schools	13.4%	27	19.4	23.5	30.3	26.5	38.9	39.4	51.5	$13,401	$3,480	$9,906
Lipscomb Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5605 10th St S	Lipscomb	35020	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 379-4550	221	13	17.6	73.8%	13 (5.9%)	79 (35.7%)	125 (56.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	37.1	449^th of 686 public elementary schools	34.5%		56.9	306^th of 680 public elementary schools	55.0%	143	56.3	42.1	16.7	29.0	37.5	47.4	70.3	$12,868	$2,844	$9,983
Jonesboro Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	125 Owen Ave	Bessemer	35020	Jefferson County	Bessemer City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 432-3400	474	28	16.9	78.1%	10 (2.1%)	304 (64.1%)	153 (32.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.3%)	9.5	646^th of 686 public elementary schools	5.8%		15	587^th of 680 public elementary schools	13.7%	59	5.9	10.1	20.0	24.6	30.6	33.3	38.3	$10,734	$2,973	$7,745
Brighton School	Public	PK, KG-5	3400 Brown Cir	Brighton	35020	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 379-2650	336	17	19.4	82.7%	10 (3.0%)	155 (46.1%)	163 (48.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.1%)	18.3	570^th of 686 public elementary schools	16.9%		21.7	531^st of 680 public elementary schools	21.9%	39	14.9	17.8	39.6	22.2	45.8	24.4	50.0	$10,820	$2,114	$8,677
Westhills Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	710 Glenn Rd	Bessemer	35022	Jefferson County	Bessemer City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 432-3500	277	16	17.3	74.0%	4 (1.4%)	236 (85.2%)	33 (11.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.4%)	5.4	677^th of 686 public elementary schools	1.3%		9.8	640^th of 680 public elementary schools	5.9%	37	10.2	10.3	2.2	15.4	34.7	10.3	40.4	$14,067	$2,370	$11,681
Glen Oaks Intermediate School	Public	3-5	1301 Highland Dr	Fairfield	35064	Jefferson County	Fairfield City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 783-6837	275	15	18.3	88.7%	1 (0.4%)	255 (92.7%)	13 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.2%)	21.1	544^th of 686 public elementary schools	20.7%		14.4	593^rd of 680 public elementary schools	12.8%	49	30.2	22.5	21.9	21.1	58.1	36.6	48.0	$9,867	$1,722	$8,027
Hueytown Intermediate School	Public	K-5	1950 Intermediate School Road	Hueytown	35023	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 379-4100	527	27	19.8	67.9%	115 (21.8%)	331 (62.8%)	65 (12.3%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.3%)	19	564^th of 686 public elementary schools	17.8%		25.5	510^th of 680 public elementary schools	25.0%	54	20.3	13.9	21.4	31.1	48.1	36.1	57.9	$8,544	$1,354	$7,171
Midfield Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	416 Parkwood St	Midfield	35228	Jefferson County	Midfield City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 923-7727	377	18	20.9	76.7%	1 (0.3%)	321 (85.1%)	49 (13.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	4 (1.1%)	13.7	603^rd of 686 public elementary schools	12.1%		7.8	658^th of 680 public elementary schools	3.2%	55	13.9	20.3		34.4	31.0	35.9		$11,182	$1,903	$9,275

Frequently Asked Questions about Charles F Hard Elementary School

How many students attend Charles F Hard Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 364 students attended Charles F Hard Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Charles F Hard Elementary School?

Students at Charles F Hard Elementary School are 87% African American, 7% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

Is Charles F Hard Elementary School a good school?

Charles F Hard Elementary School ranks in the bottom 4.5% of Alabama elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Charles F Hard Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Charles F Hard Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bessemer City Middle School
High : Bessemer City High School

What district is Charles F Hard Elementary School in?

Bessemer City

Rate Charles F Hard Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

ALAlabama Elementary School Rankings

ALAlabama District Rankings

Schools in Bessemer, AL

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Charles F Hard Elementary School!

Latest Alabama data All new data »

2025–26 Summative Assessment scoresAug 14, 2026

2024–25 attendance data & graduation ratesDec 27, 2025

2024–25 Summative Assessment scoresAug 14, 2025

2021–22 through 2023–24 attendance data & graduation ratesDec 2, 2024

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.