Woodlawn High SchoolMagnet

Woodlawn High SchoolMagnet is a public high school in Birmingham, AL, serving roughly 750 students in grades 9-12 within the Birmingham City district, where the vast majority of students come from low-income households.

Woodlawn currently ranks in the bottom 5% of Alabama high schools, with test scores dramatically below district and state averages. For example, only 2.5% of 11th graders are proficient in math, compared to 27.2% statewide. The graduation rate of 75.6% is well below the state average of 91.5%, and chronic absenteeism (28%) is more than double the state rate. The school also has a high student-teacher ratio of 23.4:1, meaning larger class sizes and less individual attention. This is a stark contrast to nearby Ramsay High School, just 4 miles away, which ranks in the top 11% of the state with a 100% graduation rate and math proficiency of 39%. Even within the same district, Huffman High SchoolMagnet and Parker High School rank higher than Woodlawn, despite the "Magnet" designation.

There are a few bright spots. English Language Learner students at Woodlawn rank in the 63rd percentile statewide, outperforming ELL students at many other schools. Chronic absenteeism has also improved dramatically, dropping from 60.7% two years ago to 28% now. However, the school's largest subgroup—low-income students—ranked in the 4th percentile, and Special Education performance has dropped significantly in just two years. Spending per student ($12,324) is comparable to other district schools, suggesting funding isn't the primary issue. For parents, the key takeaway is that Woodlawn faces serious challenges, particularly around attendance and academic support for its core student population, though the ELL program shows what's possible with targeted effort.