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Gadsden City High School

Q: Is Gadsden City High School a good school?

Gadsden City High School ranks 243 rd of 386 Alabama high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

243^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 386 Alabama High Schools

Better than 37% of Alabama high schools

Summary

Gadsden City High School is a large public high school in Gadsden, AL, serving 1,361 students in grades 9-12 and operating as the sole high school within the Gadsden City district.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that Gadsden City High School is currently facing significant challenges, particularly in the areas of graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, and overall academic performance. The school's graduation rate of 83.3% is the lowest among all nearby schools, which range from 88.1% at Etowah High School to 100% at Gaston High School. Chronic absenteeism, while improved from 38.1% to 20.7% in one year, remains nearly double the state average of 12.0%. Academically, the school trails the state average in all subjects, with 11th-grade math proficiency at 17.97% (state: 27.21%), science at 27.89% (state: 36.17%), and English at 22.06% (state: 33.73%). However, its math scores are comparable to several nearby schools like Ohatchee High School (17.54%) and Sardis High School (16.53%).

There are some bright spots worth noting. The school serves its Special Education students well, ranking at the 63rd percentile statewide, and its White students rank at the 71st percentile. However, the school struggles significantly with its low-income students (25th percentile) and Hispanic students (20th percentile). The school's overall ranking has declined from the 54th percentile in 2020-2021 to the 36th percentile in 2025-2026, a concerning trend. Notably, spending does not appear to be the issue—at $10,701 per student, the school spends more than several higher-performing nearby schools like Southside High School ($7,930) and Hokes Bluff High School. The data suggests that targeted interventions in attendance and support for economically disadvantaged students could yield meaningful improvements.

1,361

Students ?

17.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,701

Per pupil spending ?

68.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1917 Black Creek Parkway
Gadsden, AL 35904

(256) 543-3614

District: Gadsden City

Feeder schools for Gadsden City High School:

Elementary:	Adams Elementary School
	Donehoo Elementary School
	Eura Brown Elementary School
	Floyd Elementary School
	More...
	Mitchell Elementary School
	Thompson Elementary School
	W E Striplin Elementary School
	Walnut Park Elementary School
Middle:	Gadsden Middle School
	Litchfield Middle School
	Sansom Middle School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

45.3%

White:

29.9%

Hispanic:

22.1%

See top rated Alabama high schools

Compare Gadsden City High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 36th percentile in 2016 → 37th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Alabama average (23% vs 32% meeting standards)

!Graduation rate below the Alabama average (83% vs 92%)

!High chronic absenteeism (21% vs 12% Alabama)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school23%

District avg23%

Alabama avg32%

243^rd of 386

Alabama public high schools ?

Bottom 37%▲ up 1 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Alabama High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

91^st of 140Gadsden City 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	37.9	243 of 386	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	33.3	239 of 374	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.6	197 of 378	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.3	194 of 371	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.2	192 of 367	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	48.1	172 of 371	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	53.8	175 of 366	52.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	33.6	251 of 356	29.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	39.7	201 of 353	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2016	34.7	226 of 351	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	36.9	233 of 353	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2014	52.6	162 of 358	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2013	36.1	309 of 358	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	27.7	305 of 358	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	28.2	308 of 360	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	29.2	300 of 358	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	31.2	293 of 357	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	25.8	315 of 359	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	43.5	119 of 238	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	44.9	98 of 228	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.0	79 of 231	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	40.6	124 of 224	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.2	107 of 222	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	54.0	71 of 228	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	45.9	101 of 224	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	42.4	115 of 223	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2017	32.0	132 of 189	30.2%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	42.5	47 of 90	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	28.2	61 of 75	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	51.1	19 of 63	69.8%	★★★★☆
2023	28.1	23 of 43	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	33.3	16 of 39	59.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.7	20 of 28	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	40.0	14 of 29	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	25.5	16 of 22	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	40.6	218 of 377	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	31.1	239 of 359	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.8	193 of 366	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.2	181 of 358	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.0	250 of 367	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.6	181 of 359	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	52.8	169 of 354	52.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	33.4	241 of 347	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	40.8	190 of 343	44.6%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	22.8	114 of 142	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.8	121 of 139	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	31.5	74 of 122	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.5	57 of 114	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	34.4	70 of 113	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	13.2	93 of 103	9.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.8	72 of 95	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	36.0	52 of 93	44.1%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	29.0	284 of 383	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	26.1	272 of 367	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	39.6	222 of 375	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	48.2	159 of 349	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	38.5	221 of 361	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.5	201 of 361	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.9	254 of 358	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.3	271 of 349	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	22.4	260 of 315	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	34.8	243 of 380	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	34.5	226 of 363	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.3	189 of 368	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	36.6	218 of 358	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	57.6	126 of 366	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	47.3	176 of 366	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.4	179 of 357	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	32.2	241 of 350	31.1%	★★☆☆☆
2017	35.8	211 of 339	37.8%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	23.6	93 of 123	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	17.3	52 of 57	8.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.4	42 of 55	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	9.6	39 of 40	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	9.9	34 of 35	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	50.6	73 of 197	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	35.1	123 of 194	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.3	96 of 198	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	48.4	75 of 182	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	67.2	44 of 169	74.0%	★★★★☆
2021	38.3	122 of 196	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	23.3	143 of 171	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.0	129 of 160	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	64.0	93 of 320	70.9%	★★★★☆
2025	56.5	129 of 325	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.7	116 of 325	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	44.7	153 of 317	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	55.7	120 of 326	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	52.0	137 of 319	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	77.7	59 of 313	81.2%	★★★★☆
2018	48.9	136 of 300	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	62.4	67 of 230	70.9%	★★★★☆

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)

White (2026)71st percentile+34 vs school

Special Education (2026)63rd percentile+26 vs school

African American (2026)50th percentile+13 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)48th percentile+11 vs school

Female (2026)42nd percentile+5 vs school

Male (2026)36th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)26th percentile-11 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)24th percentile-13 vs school

Hispanic (2025)20th percentile-16 vs school

Native American (2025)9th percentile-27 vs school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

Science28%-8 vs state

English22%-12 vs state

Mathematics18%-9 vs state

4.8

17 ratings · 5 written reviews

5★13

4★4

3★0

2★0

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, June 6, 2017

-AP program is great
-Career tech, medical internship and health sciences are wonderful. Also, vocational schools in cosmotolgy, automotive, heating and cooling plus more make it attainable for all to get training to ensure thier futures.
-the experience to enjoy a blend of many multicultural and diverse backgrounds working together as a unified body. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, June 6, 2017

This school has the best academics (AP Program) for my children. I am thankful for this academics offered by this school! It is the best around! There is NO doubt my children will be well prepared for college. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, June 6, 2017

My children received an excellent education through the gadsden city school system. Our daughter went to college with full academic scholarship and our 17 yr old is poised to do the same next year. I credit the gadsden city schools. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, June 6, 2017

I have had two children attend Gadsden City High. They both received an excellent education, taking advantage of their large number of A.P. Classes, giving them a leg up preparing for college. Both participated in their excellent band program. My wife and I could not have been happier with GCHS! Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, June 2, 2017

The school offers more academic options than many colleges. The school offers vocational training in a number of industrial disciplines. The school provides an extensive AP program and duel enrollment program. The school offers many extracurricular activities and social organizations. Close Quote

Schools Near Gadsden City High School

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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 (2026)				Ranking (2025)				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 (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Summative Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 11th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 11th 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
Gadsden City High School	Public	9-12	1917 Black Creek Parkway	Gadsden	35904	Etowah County	Gadsden City	No	No	No	No	(256) 543-3614	1,361	79	17.2	68.9%	407 (29.9%)	616 (45.3%)	301 (22.1%)	14 (1.0%)	6 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (1.2%)	37.9	243^rd of 386 public high schools	37.0%		33.3	239^th of 374 public high schools	36.1%	4			18.0		27.9			22.1	$10,701	$1,038	$9,632
Downtown Educational Center	Public	6-12	220 Locust Street	Gadsden	35901	Etowah County	Gadsden City	No	No	No	No	(256) 547-5446																			(n/a)
C I T Y Program	Public	6-12	435 E Chestnut	Gadsden	35903	Etowah County	Gadsden City	No	No	No	No	(256) 543-2489																			(n/a)
Career Technical Center	Public	9-12	105 Burke Ave SE	Attalla	35954	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	No	(256) 538-3312																			(n/a)
Etowah High School	Public	9-12	201 Case Avenue SE	Attalla	35954	Etowah County	Attalla City	No	No	No	No	(256) 538-8381	453	31	14.7	62.7%	303 (66.9%)	62 (13.7%)	51 (11.3%)	3 (0.7%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (6.4%)	30	270^th of 386 public high schools	30.1%		45.3	186^th of 374 public high schools	50.3%	84			9.9		18.0			28.4	$11,236	$1,529	$9,664
Southside High School	Public	9-12	2361 School Drive	Southside	35907	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	No	(256) 442-2172	825	43	19.0	33.7%	690 (83.6%)	46 (5.6%)	39 (4.7%)	22 (2.7%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.0%)	56.8	144^th of 386 public high schools	62.7%		60.6	130^th of 374 public high schools	65.2%	14			25.0		37.5			28.6	$7,930	$552	$7,332
Glencoe High School	Public	9-12	803 Lonesome Bend Rd	Glencoe	35905	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	No	(256) 492-2250	300	17	17.7	37.7%	271 (90.3%)	8 (2.7%)	12 (4.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.7%)	59	134^th of 386 public high schools	65.3%		51.8	170^th of 374 public high schools	54.5%	36			14.8		40.7			39.2	$11,338	$1,412	$9,922
Gaston High School	Public	7-12	4550 US Highway 411	Gadsden	35901	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 547-8828	380	20	19.0	63.9%	304 (80.0%)	20 (5.3%)	20 (5.3%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	31 (8.2%)	21.5	307^th of 386 public high schools	20.5%		27.3	258^th of 374 public high schools	31.0%	49	12.5	10.8	5.7	40.0	24.5	47.9	47.7	13.5	$11,715	$2,360	$9,318
Hokes Bluff High School	Public	9-12	1865 Appalachia Rd	Hokes Bluff	35903	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	No	(256) 492-1360	371	21	17.4	42.0%	334 (90.0%)	3 (0.8%)	14 (3.8%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.6%)	46.9	190^th of 386 public high schools	50.8%		66.4	106^th of 374 public high schools	71.7%	84			22.1		36.8			19.6	$10,424	$1,191	$9,200
Sardis High School	Public	9-12	1420 Church St	Sardis City	35956	Etowah County	Etowah County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 593-5221	546	32	16.8	48.7%	432 (79.1%)	3 (0.5%)	76 (13.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (0.9%)	28 (5.1%)	43.8	206^th of 386 public high schools	46.6%		53.4	164^th of 374 public high schools	56.1%	42			16.5		34.7			23.9	$9,558	$1,497	$8,025

Frequently Asked Questions about Gadsden City High School

What schools feed into Gadsden City High School?

Gadsden City High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Adams Elementary School
Elementary : Donehoo Elementary School
Elementary : Eura Brown Elementary School
Elementary : Floyd Elementary School
Elementary : Mitchell Elementary School
Elementary : Thompson Elementary School
Elementary : W E Striplin Elementary School
Elementary : Walnut Park Elementary School
Middle : Gadsden Middle School
Middle : Litchfield Middle School
Middle : Sansom Middle School

How many students attend Gadsden City High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,361 students attended Gadsden City High School.

What is the racial makeup of Gadsden City High School?

Students at Gadsden City High School are 45% African American, 30% White, 22% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Is Gadsden City High School a good school?

Gadsden City High School ranks 243^rd of 386 Alabama high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Gadsden City High School in?

Gadsden City

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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.