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

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its Alabama rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Gaylesville High School

Q: Is Gaylesville High School a good school?

Gaylesville High School ranks 483 rd of 686 Alabama alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public, Alternative Grades PK, KG-12

483^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 686 Alabama Alternative Schools

Better than 30% of Alabama alternative schools

Summary

Gaylesville High School is a small, rural PK-12 school in Gaylesville, Alabama, serving 341 students within the Cherokee County district, where a high percentage of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

This school has a unique academic profile. In the early grades, students perform remarkably well—3rd graders in 2025-2026 posted a 62.96% math proficiency rate, far outpacing nearby schools like Collinsville High School (13.7%) and even Spring Garden High School (51.35%). However, this early strength fades dramatically by high school. By 11th grade, math proficiency drops to just 8%, and English proficiency hit 0% in 2024-2025 before rebounding to 16.67% the following year—both well below state averages. This "early success, later collapse" pattern is the most severe among all comparable schools in the region, including Sand Rock High School and Cedar Bluff High School.

The most pressing concern is chronic absenteeism. At 23.0% in 2024-2025, Gaylesville's rate is nearly double the state average (12.0%) and the highest among its peers—Collinsville, by contrast, sits at just 6.8%. This persistent absenteeism likely compounds over time, causing students to fall further behind as coursework becomes more demanding. On a positive note, the school's graduation rate has been strong recently (96.8% and 100% in the last two years), and 8th-grade science proficiency is competitive with state averages. Additionally, the percentage of students on free/reduced lunch has dropped from 80% to 62% in just two years, a promising sign for the community. With a favorable 15.5:1 student-to-teacher ratio, Gaylesville has the foundation to improve—but addressing attendance in middle and high school will be critical to reversing the academic slide.

341

Students ?

15.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,079

Per pupil spending ?

61.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

760 Trojan Way
Gaylesville, AL 35973

(256) 422-3401

District: Cherokee County

Racial breakdown:

White:

96.8%

African American:

1.2%

Two or more races:

1.2%

See top rated Alabama elementary schools

Compare Gaylesville High School to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 22nd percentile in 2023 → 18th in 2026

Strengths

✓97% graduate in 4 years — above the Alabama average (92%)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Alabama average (34% vs 46% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (23% vs 12% Alabama)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school34%

District avg43%

Alabama avg46%

Elementary school

483^rd of 686

Alabama public elementary schools ?

Bottom 30%▼ down 12 pts since 2016

From bottom 42% (2016) to bottom 30% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alabama Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

255^th of 449

Alabama public middle schools ?

Bottom 43%▲ up 16 pts since 2016

From bottom 27% (2016) to bottom 43% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alabama Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

318^th of 386

Alabama public high schools ?

Bottom 18%▼ down 7 pts since 2016

From bottom 25% (2016) to bottom 18% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alabama High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 4Alternative Schools in the Cherokee County

83^rd of 140Cherokee County 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	31.1	483 of 686	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	33.1	461 of 680	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	53.8	318 of 684	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.6	342 of 680	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	58.6	285 of 687	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	51.9	326 of 692	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	55.1	312 of 681	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	48.3	384 of 680	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	58.8	278 of 688	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	42.9	402 of 691	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2015	53.8	304 of 691	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2014	56.8	290 of 695	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2013	48.5	457 of 696	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	47.9	447 of 696	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2011	51.6	414 of 709	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2010	36.3	542 of 704	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	42.6	460 of 696	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2008	55.8	319 of 698	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2007	45.5	429 of 698	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2006	38.9	477 of 689	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2005	38.4	486 of 688	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	36.7	434 of 623	30.3%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	29.8	476 of 651	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	30.3	472 of 649	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	50.9	319 of 650	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	48.3	335 of 645	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	55.9	280 of 656	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	36.1	428 of 656	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	61.5	233 of 646	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.8	235 of 640	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2017	61.7	222 of 639	65.3%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	33.2	473 of 667	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	39.5	415 of 660	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	63.2	241 of 670	64.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	60.1	238 of 623	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.7	233 of 651	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	61.0	242 of 653	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	65.6	189 of 649	70.9%	★★★★☆
2018	56.4	292 of 651	55.1%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	35.3	436 of 659	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	32.9	444 of 651	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	64.1	223 of 655	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	47.6	354 of 649	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	55.5	296 of 669	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	65.8	203 of 669	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.5	271 of 650	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.9	319 of 650	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2017	47.4	357 of 639	44.1%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	15.3	466 of 501	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	17.1	485 of 532	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	35.0	367 of 535	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.4	389 of 528	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	42.3	307 of 540	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	34.8	363 of 539	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	38.1	345 of 529	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	24.0	429 of 508	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	28.6	282 of 369	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	43.1	255 of 449	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	50.2	207 of 439	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.7	127 of 442	71.3%	★★★★☆
2023	51.4	199 of 437	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.3	201 of 432	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	28.5	321 of 440	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	36.8	292 of 437	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	45.6	239 of 423	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	33.8	302 of 432	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2016	29.5	316 of 432	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	39.6	266 of 430	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2014	37.8	286 of 438	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2013	41.6	314 of 436	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	30.3	331 of 436	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	35.0	310 of 435	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	31.5	331 of 435	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	42.2	267 of 425	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2008	44.8	249 of 417	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2007	11.1	386 of 412	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	23.4	343 of 409	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	52.7	191 of 415	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2004	44.9	231 of 407	43.2%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	33.7	288 of 427	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.3	301 of 417	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	38.7	258 of 423	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	53.7	175 of 415	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	47.6	228 of 399	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	33.5	283 of 392	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	36.2	265 of 380	30.3%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	39.5	261 of 438	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	58.8	142 of 428	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	72.2	82 of 437	81.2%	★★★★☆
2023	52.3	177 of 410	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	58.8	139 of 421	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	38.0	262 of 415	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	53.0	180 of 396	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.4	165 of 396	58.3%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	57.9	156 of 426	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	33.8	289 of 422	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	68.5	101 of 428	76.4%	★★★★☆
2023	65.9	108 of 419	74.2%	★★★★☆
2022	58.6	142 of 427	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	25.2	317 of 418	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	26.7	305 of 399	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	60.7	139 of 397	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2017	30.4	276 of 380	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	24.1	297 of 359	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	36.3	248 of 377	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.4	164 of 373	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	35.2	241 of 370	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.5	238 of 376	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	17.6	332 of 369	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	18.5	308 of 343	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	27.0	257 of 331	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	19.1	318 of 386	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	17.0	312 of 374	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	16.6	322 of 378	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.0	290 of 371	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	21.7	292 of 367	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	10.9	345 of 371	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	10.6	320 of 366	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.8	283 of 356	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	18.0	301 of 353	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	27.3	264 of 351	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	18.2	300 of 353	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	30.7	263 of 358	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	44.8	263 of 358	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	63.1	128 of 358	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2011	52.9	194 of 360	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2010	56.6	168 of 358	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2009	42.2	244 of 357	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2008	40.5	255 of 359	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	52.6	192 of 358	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2006	39.6	268 of 357	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	36.4	275 of 359	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	38.7	260 of 357	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2023	22.2	279 of 358	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	6.2	361 of 367	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	8.8	343 of 359	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	11.6	310 of 354	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	12.5	301 of 347	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	13.9	306 of 343	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	11.3	371 of 383	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	36.5	236 of 375	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	17.1	307 of 349	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	16.2	320 of 361	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	7.6	357 of 361	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	12.6	322 of 358	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.3	280 of 349	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	27.1	270 of 380	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	8.4	364 of 368	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	37.0	220 of 366	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	17.0	311 of 366	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	9.7	331 of 357	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	32.1	243 of 350	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2017	24.1	267 of 339	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	7.7	314 of 320	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	9.3	313 of 325	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.8	316 of 325	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	14.0	296 of 317	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	15.2	298 of 326	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	6.7	317 of 319	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	2.1	310 of 313	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	6.6	292 of 300	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	9.1	224 of 230	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Elementary school

Male (2026)34th percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)29th percentile~ school

Female (2026)27th percentile-3 vs school

White (2026)7th percentile-23 vs school

Middle school

Male (2026)63rd percentile+20 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)40th percentile-3 vs school

Female (2026)33rd percentile-11 vs school

White (2026)17th percentile-26 vs school

High school

Male (2026)29th percentile+11 vs school

Female (2023)22nd percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)3rd percentile-14 vs school

White (2026)2nd percentile-16 vs school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

English48%-9 vs state

Science28%-19 vs state

Mathematics23%-11 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Gaylesville High School and help other families decide.

Rate Gaylesville High 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 Gaylesville High 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 ()				Ranking ()				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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	Summative Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 11th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 11th Grade	Summative Assessment English 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment English 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 5th Grade	Summative Assessment English 6th Grade	Summative Assessment English 7th Grade	Summative Assessment English 8th Grade	Summative Assessment English 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Gaylesville High School	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	760 Trojan Way	Gaylesville	35973	Cherokee County	Cherokee County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 422-3401	341	22	15.5	61.9%	330 (96.8%)	4 (1.2%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.2%)								(n/a)	63.0	29.2	9.4	13.0	15.2	25.0	8.0	16.7	50.0	16.0	74.1	45.8	40.6	43.5	45.5	71.4	16.7	$12,079	$1,910	$10,053
Cedar Bluff High School	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	3655 Old Highway 9	Cedar Bluff	35959	Cherokee County	Cherokee County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 927-1750	623	37	16.7	56.0%	548 (88.0%)	24 (3.9%)	14 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (5.6%)								(n/a)	49.0	50.0	44.4	21.1	15.0	38.2	10.0	67.9	85.3	13.3	70.6	75.0	75.0	47.4	52.5	79.4	23.3	$10,715	$1,307	$9,244
Sand Rock High School	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1950 Sand Rock Avenue	Sand Rock	35983	Cherokee County	Cherokee County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 557-3825	783	43	18.2	46.6%	719 (91.8%)	5 (0.6%)	38 (4.9%)	3 (0.4%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	13 (1.7%)								(n/a)	24.1	30.2	24.6	39.0	17.9	16.0	21.0	56.6	56.0	22.6	69.8	60.4	79.0	54.2	57.1	50.0	41.0	$10,109	$1,310	$8,738
Collinsville High School	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	802 S Valley Ave	Collinsville	35961	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 524-2111	906	58	15.6	74.7%	253 (27.9%)	22 (2.4%)	548 (60.5%)	6 (0.7%)	47 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (3.3%)								(n/a)	13.7	14.9	14.3	23.4	8.5	3.5	14.7	20.3	21.4	22.1	32.9	35.1	40.3	49.2	35.2	36.8	10.6	$16,213	$1,616	$7,562
Spring Garden High School	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	2430 County Road 29	Spring Garden	36275	Cherokee County	Cherokee County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 447-7045	550	32	17.3	50.2%	518 (94.2%)	3 (0.5%)	13 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	13 (2.4%)								(n/a)	51.4	17.3	28.6	56.3	25.0	20.5	27.0	26.9	44.7	16.2	56.8	19.2	57.1	59.4	43.8	48.7	27.8	$11,027	$1,411	$9,557

Frequently Asked Questions about Gaylesville High School

How many students attend Gaylesville High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 341 students attended Gaylesville High School.

What is the racial makeup of Gaylesville High School?

Students at Gaylesville High School are 97% White, 1% African American, 1% Two or more races.

Is Gaylesville High School a good school?

Gaylesville High School ranks 483^rd of 686 Alabama alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What district is Gaylesville High School in?

Cherokee County

Rate Gaylesville High School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

ALAlabama Alternative School Rankings

ALAlabama District Rankings

Schools in Gaylesville, AL

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Gaylesville High 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.