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Valley Head High School

Public, Alternative Grades PK, KG-12
366th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 686 Alabama Alternative Schools
Better than 47% of Alabama alternative schools
Summary

Valley Head High School is a small, PK-12 school in Valley Head, AL, serving 517 students within the DeKalb County district, where 70% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch—a higher rate than any nearby school.

The most striking pattern at Valley Head is the sharp decline in academic proficiency as students get older. In the 2025-2026 school year, 3rd graders scored at or above district averages in English (66.67%) and Math (53.33%), but by 11th grade, proficiency drops to just 15.15% in both subjects. The middle school years are especially challenging: in 2024-2025, 6th-grade Math proficiency was a solid 44.44%, but it fell to 6.82% in 7th grade and 9.09% in 8th grade. This "middle school cliff" is a clear area of concern. By comparison, nearby Plainview School (41.67%) and Fyffe High School (38.46%) post 11th-grade Math proficiency rates more than double Valley Head's, even though those schools also serve significant low-income populations.

There are positive signs, however. Chronic absenteeism has improved dramatically, dropping from 26.0% in 2022-2023 to 10.1% in 2024-2025—now better than the district (10.6%) and state (12.0%) averages. The graduation rate also rebounded from a low of 81.0% in 2022-2023 to 93.1% in 2024-2025, above the state average. Valley Head spends $10,941 per student, more than peers like Sylvania School ($9,320) and Ider School, yet academic outcomes lag. This suggests the extra funding may be addressing challenges tied to high poverty, but also points to potential inefficiencies. For parents, the key takeaway is that Valley Head builds strong foundations in early grades but struggles to sustain that momentum through middle and high school—making the transition years a critical focus for any family considering this school.

517
Students ?
14.7
Student/teacher ratio ?
$14,708
Per pupil spending ?
70.0%
Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?
 235 1st Ave
       Valley Head, AL  35989-4119

(256) 635-6228

District: DeKalb County

Racial breakdown:

White:
66.5%
Hispanic:
25.0%
American Indian:
5.8%
more
 See top rated Alabama elementary schools

 Compare Valley Head High School to nearby alternative schools!
At a glance
▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 14th percentile in 2025 → 38th in 2026
Strengths
✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 38th (2026) from a 14th-percentile low (2025)
Worth a look
!Test scores below the Alabama average (39% vs 46% meeting standards)
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
!Near the bottom of DeKalb County's ranking
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school39%
District avg39%
Alabama avg46%
Elementary school
366th of 686
Alabama public elementary schools ?
Bottom 47%▲ up 14 pts since 2016
From bottom 33% (2016) to bottom 47% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Alabama Elementary Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
Middle school
284th of 449
Alabama public middle schools ?
Bottom 37%▼ down 4 pts since 2016
From bottom 41% (2016) to bottom 37% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Alabama Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
High school
241st of 386
Alabama public high schools ?
Bottom 38%▲ up 7 pts since 2016
From bottom 30% (2016) to bottom 38% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Alabama High Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
6th of 7Alternative Schools in the DeKalb County
74th of 140DeKalb 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

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202648.4366 of 68646.6%★★☆☆☆
202552.4338 of 68050.3%★★★☆☆
202441.0425 of 68437.9%★★☆☆☆
202334.8462 of 68032.1%★★☆☆☆
202235.7442 of 68735.7%★★☆☆☆
202149.7346 of 69250.0%★★★☆☆
201928.5497 of 68127.0%★☆☆☆☆
201826.3506 of 68025.6%★☆☆☆☆
201725.1530 of 68823.0%★☆☆☆☆
201635.8464 of 69132.9%★★☆☆☆
201529.2515 of 69125.5%★☆☆☆☆
201427.9533 of 69523.3%★☆☆☆☆
201341.7506 of 69627.3%★☆☆☆☆
201238.4521 of 69625.1%★☆☆☆☆
201144.4488 of 70931.2%★★☆☆☆
201042.8494 of 70429.8%★★☆☆☆
200931.8552 of 69620.7%★☆☆☆☆
200836.2513 of 69826.5%★☆☆☆☆
200740.4478 of 69831.5%★★☆☆☆
200655.6315 of 68954.3%★★★☆☆
200563.3223 of 68867.6%★★★☆☆
200461.6224 of 62364.0%★★★☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202658.9267 of 65159.0%★★★☆☆
202562.7237 of 64963.5%★★★☆☆
202446.1367 of 65043.5%★★☆☆☆
202334.4435 of 64532.6%★★☆☆☆
202238.5414 of 65636.9%★★☆☆☆
202151.8314 of 65652.1%★★★☆☆
201940.5422 of 64634.7%★★☆☆☆
201830.2471 of 64026.4%★☆☆☆☆
201734.8436 of 63931.8%★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
201919.0133 of 15212.5%★☆☆☆☆
201818.0127 of 1409.3%☆☆☆☆☆
201719.2120 of 1307.7%☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202647.9366 of 66745.1%★★☆☆☆
202553.4298 of 66054.8%★★★☆☆
202442.3407 of 67039.3%★★☆☆☆
202339.9389 of 62337.6%★★☆☆☆
202246.9356 of 65145.3%★★☆☆☆
202162.4218 of 65366.6%★★★☆☆
201933.7459 of 64929.3%★☆☆☆☆
201833.2467 of 65128.3%★☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202640.6404 of 65938.7%★★☆☆☆
202544.3376 of 65142.2%★★☆☆☆
202437.0431 of 65534.2%★★☆☆☆
202336.0428 of 64934.1%★★☆☆☆
202234.7433 of 66935.3%★★☆☆☆
202145.2363 of 66945.7%★★☆☆☆
201922.1518 of 65020.3%★☆☆☆☆
201825.0502 of 65022.8%★☆☆☆☆
201734.8434 of 63932.1%★★☆☆☆

Native American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202442.331 of 5947.5%★★☆☆☆
202359.318 of 5768.4%★★★★☆
202248.429 of 6555.4%★★★☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202626.7409 of 50118.4%★☆☆☆☆
202534.9369 of 53230.6%★★☆☆☆
202423.4457 of 53514.6%★☆☆☆☆
202316.9477 of 5289.7%☆☆☆☆☆
202222.4463 of 54014.3%★☆☆☆☆
202138.4328 of 53939.1%★★☆☆☆
201914.8486 of 5298.1%☆☆☆☆☆
201816.7473 of 5086.9%☆☆☆☆☆
201717.1333 of 3699.8%★☆☆☆☆
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202636.9284 of 44936.7%★★☆☆☆
202530.2314 of 43928.5%★☆☆☆☆
202441.9255 of 44242.3%★★☆☆☆
202343.3247 of 43743.5%★★☆☆☆
202237.1282 of 43234.7%★★☆☆☆
202143.3245 of 44044.3%★★☆☆☆
201948.2231 of 43747.1%★★☆☆☆
201844.6245 of 42342.1%★★☆☆☆
201736.8285 of 43234.0%★★☆☆☆
201641.5255 of 43241.0%★★☆☆☆
201545.2227 of 43047.2%★★☆☆☆
201454.5190 of 43856.6%★★★☆☆
201349.2274 of 43637.2%★★☆☆☆
201250.6248 of 43643.1%★★☆☆☆
201133.1318 of 43526.9%★☆☆☆☆
201049.0239 of 43545.1%★★☆☆☆
200924.5354 of 42516.7%★☆☆☆☆
200825.2340 of 41718.5%★☆☆☆☆
200741.2261 of 41236.7%★★☆☆☆
200646.2235 of 40942.5%★★☆☆☆
200536.1292 of 41529.6%★★☆☆☆
200450.3197 of 40751.6%★★★☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202647.7221 of 42748.2%★★☆☆☆
202529.4304 of 41526.7%★☆☆☆☆
202443.1236 of 42644.6%★★☆☆☆
202351.0193 of 41753.7%★★★☆☆
202237.7266 of 42337.1%★★☆☆☆
202153.7176 of 41557.6%★★★☆☆
201954.6172 of 39956.9%★★★☆☆
201846.2219 of 39244.1%★★☆☆☆
201738.7251 of 38033.9%★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
20239.0165 of 1660.6%☆☆☆☆☆
202111.5154 of 1540.0%☆☆☆☆☆
201942.569 of 12444.4%★★☆☆☆
201819.698 of 11313.3%★☆☆☆☆
201718.796 of 10811.1%★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202644.4228 of 43847.9%★★☆☆☆
202534.5289 of 42832.5%★★☆☆☆
202449.9199 of 43754.5%★★★☆☆
202340.7241 of 41041.2%★★☆☆☆
202252.0194 of 42153.9%★★★☆☆
202154.9167 of 41559.8%★★★☆☆
201955.0160 of 39659.6%★★★☆☆
201845.5221 of 39644.2%★★☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202629.5300 of 42629.6%★★☆☆☆
202531.0297 of 42229.6%★☆☆☆☆
202439.6255 of 42840.4%★★☆☆☆
202337.2267 of 41936.3%★★☆☆☆
202235.3281 of 42734.2%★★☆☆☆
202136.5272 of 41834.9%★★☆☆☆
201943.9234 of 39941.4%★★☆☆☆
201843.8227 of 39742.8%★★☆☆☆
201736.7247 of 38035.0%★★☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202619.1315 of 35912.3%★☆☆☆☆
202519.3325 of 37713.8%★☆☆☆☆
202426.3294 of 37321.2%★☆☆☆☆
202327.0288 of 37022.2%★☆☆☆☆
202224.9304 of 37619.1%★☆☆☆☆
202127.1285 of 36922.8%★☆☆☆☆
201931.5250 of 34327.1%★☆☆☆☆
201841.4188 of 33143.2%★★☆☆☆
201725.0195 of 24721.1%★☆☆☆☆
High school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202638.1241 of 38637.6%★★☆☆☆
202516.1320 of 37414.4%★☆☆☆☆
202432.8253 of 37833.1%★★☆☆☆
202355.5140 of 37162.3%★★★☆☆
202275.276 of 36779.3%★★★★☆
202165.6100 of 37173.0%★★★★☆
201921.0286 of 36621.9%★☆☆☆☆
201844.1196 of 35644.9%★★☆☆☆
201734.7230 of 35334.8%★★☆☆☆
201630.5245 of 35130.2%★★☆☆☆
201525.4274 of 35322.4%★☆☆☆☆
201445.0198 of 35844.7%★★☆☆☆
201344.2266 of 35825.7%★☆☆☆☆
201249.0220 of 35838.5%★★☆☆☆
201147.5229 of 36036.4%★★☆☆☆
201045.8222 of 35838.0%★★☆☆☆
200940.4251 of 35729.7%★★☆☆☆
200850.9203 of 35943.5%★★☆☆☆
200735.9270 of 35824.6%★☆☆☆☆
200633.8298 of 35716.5%★☆☆☆☆
200535.2286 of 35920.3%★☆☆☆☆
200438.0265 of 35725.8%★☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202646.3196 of 37748.0%★★☆☆☆
202513.5322 of 35910.3%★☆☆☆☆
202451.0153 of 36658.2%★★★☆☆
202358.4132 of 35863.1%★★★☆☆
202272.487 of 36776.3%★★★★☆
202157.4135 of 35962.4%★★★☆☆
201914.6301 of 35415.0%★☆☆☆☆
201845.3200 of 34742.4%★★☆☆☆
201744.4171 of 34350.1%★★★☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202338.665 of 12246.7%★★☆☆☆
202139.263 of 11344.2%★★☆☆☆
201912.695 of 1037.8%☆☆☆☆☆
201833.863 of 9533.7%★★☆☆☆
201725.067 of 9328.0%★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202657.4123 of 38367.9%★★★☆☆
202529.6256 of 36730.2%★★☆☆☆
202447.6174 of 37553.6%★★★☆☆
202291.028 of 36192.2%★★★★★
202155.3140 of 36161.2%★★★☆☆
201939.6215 of 35839.9%★★☆☆☆
201862.1123 of 34964.8%★★★☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202628.3266 of 38030.0%★★☆☆☆
202523.6273 of 36324.8%★☆☆☆☆
202424.7272 of 36826.1%★☆☆☆☆
202348.4162 of 35854.7%★★★☆☆
202271.386 of 36676.5%★★★★☆
202169.387 of 36676.2%★★★★☆
201933.8234 of 35734.5%★★☆☆☆
201843.6199 of 35043.1%★★☆☆☆
201729.3248 of 33926.8%★☆☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202627.0240 of 32025.0%★☆☆☆☆
202510.6304 of 3256.5%☆☆☆☆☆
202414.6303 of 3256.8%☆☆☆☆☆
202333.7199 of 31737.2%★★☆☆☆
202267.879 of 32675.8%★★★★☆
202138.5186 of 31941.7%★★☆☆☆
20195.7299 of 3134.5%☆☆☆☆☆
201828.3216 of 30028.0%★☆☆☆☆
201721.2189 of 23017.8%★☆☆☆☆
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
Female (2026)59th percentile+12 vs school
Native American (2024)47th percentile+10 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)45th percentile~ school
Male (2026)39th percentile-8 vs school
White (2026)18th percentile-28 vs school
Hispanic (2019)12th percentile-15 vs school
Middle school
Female (2026)48th percentile+11 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)48th percentile+11 vs school
Male (2026)30th percentile-7 vs school
White (2026)12th percentile-24 vs school
Hispanic (2023)1st percentile-43 vs school
High school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)68th percentile+30 vs school
Female (2026)48th percentile+10 vs school
Hispanic (2023)47th percentile-16 vs school
Male (2026)30th percentile-8 vs school
White (2026)25th percentile-13 vs school
By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?
English50%-7 vs state
Science43%-4 vs state
Mathematics27%-7 vs state

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Frequently Asked Questions about Valley Head High School

Valley Head High School ranks 366th of 686 Alabama alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Valley Head High School are 67% White, 25% Hispanic, 6% American Indian, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2024-25 school year, 517 students attended Valley Head High School.

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Latest Alabama data All new data »
2019–20 through 2022–23 school spending dataOct 6, 2026
2025–26 Summative Assessment scoresAug 14, 2026
2024–25 attendance data & graduation ratesDec 27, 2025
2024–25 Summative Assessment scoresAug 14, 2025


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.

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