Southside High School

Southside High School is a small, rural public high school in Selma, AL, serving 285 students in grades 9-12 under the Dallas County school district. Nearly 9 in 10 students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a high-poverty context that shapes its academic landscape.

Academically, Southside ranks in the bottom 6% of Alabama high schools, with math proficiency being the most urgent concern—only 3.85% of 11th graders scored proficient in the most recent year, compared to the state average of 27.21%. However, the school shows a remarkable strength in serving Special Education students, ranking in the 71st percentile statewide with a 4-star rating—a rare achievement for a school with otherwise low overall performance. This suggests effective, targeted interventions exist that could potentially be adapted for the broader student body. Another bright spot is chronic absenteeism, which dropped from 40.5% to 22.9% in just two years—a nearly 44% improvement, though still double the state average. The school also maintains a favorable 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio, indicating class sizes are not the primary barrier to achievement.

Compared to Selma High School—just 8.88 miles away with similar demographics—Southside lags significantly in English proficiency (5.88% vs. 15.17%), science (11.54% vs. 17.69%), and graduation rate (78.3% vs. 86.6%). This gap suggests district-level policies or leadership may play a role, since Selma High operates under the Selma City district. A concerning trend is the rapid decline in female student performance, dropping from the 11th to the 3rd percentile in just two years. While the school spends $13,183 per student—higher than Selma High—financial resources alone haven't translated into academic success. The graduation rate has also been volatile, swinging from 93.8% to 78.3% over recent years, indicating instability in student retention.