Tharptown High School

Tharptown High School in Russellville, AL, serves 410 students in grades 7 through 12 within the Franklin County district, where 62.9% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Tharptown has experienced significant ups and downs in recent years. After a particularly difficult 2024-2025 school year when the school ranked in the 6th percentile statewide, it improved to the 21st percentile in 2025-2026. While this is a meaningful improvement, the school still ranks in the bottom quarter of Alabama high schools. The most concerning areas are mathematics—only 5.8% of 8th graders and 11.9% of 11th graders are proficient in math, compared to state averages of 26.4% and 27.2%, respectively. English scores are somewhat better, with 42.7% of 8th graders proficient, though this still trails the state average of 58.5%. The graduation rate also fluctuates dramatically, dropping from an excellent 97.7% in 2023-2024 to 87.3% in 2024-2025, now below both district and state averages.

Comparing Tharptown to Phil Campbell High School, just 13 miles away in the same district, reveals a stark contrast. Both schools serve similar student populations, yet Phil Campbell ranks in the 70th percentile statewide while Tharptown sits in the 21st. For example, 28.8% of Phil Campbell's 11th graders are proficient in math versus 11.9% at Tharptown. This gap suggests school-level factors like leadership and instruction are driving differences, not demographics. On a positive note, Tharptown has shown remarkable progress with its Hispanic students, jumping from the 1st to the 49th percentile in one year, and chronic absenteeism has improved from 16.1% to 13.3%. However, the school spends less per student ($9,124) than nearby schools like Muscle Shoals High School ($10,216) and Deshler High School ($12,124), which may contribute to ongoing challenges.