Fultondale High School

Fultondale High School in Birmingham, AL, serves 848 students in grades 6 through 12 within the Jefferson County school district, where about 72% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

This school shows a striking pattern: students perform much better in middle school than in high school. For example, 8th-grade science proficiency (42%) is nearly double the 11th-grade rate (22%), and 7th-grade English proficiency (44%) dramatically exceeds the 11th-grade rate (just 5%). This suggests the school is more effective in the earlier grades, with a significant drop-off as students advance. The school does have genuine strengths—it ranks in the 53rd percentile for African American students (3 stars) and has shown marked improvement with low-income students, jumping from the 8th percentile to the 32nd percentile in just two years. However, support for special education students (10th percentile) remains a clear area of need. The graduation rate is solid at 90%, though it dipped from an impressive 97.8% the prior year. Chronic absenteeism (19.7%) is higher than the state average (12%) and has been creeping upward.

Compared to nearby schools, Fultondale sits in the middle of the pack. It substantially outperforms Tarrant High School (just 1.25 miles away), which ranks in the 5th percentile and has 11th-grade math proficiency of only 1.7% versus Fultondale's 14.1%. However, Gardendale High School (2.34 miles away) ranks much higher (63rd percentile) with 11th-grade English proficiency of 31.6% versus Fultondale's 5%, though Gardendale also serves a wealthier population (39% vs. 72% low-income). Fultondale also outperforms several Birmingham City schools like George Washington Carver High School and Woodlawn High SchoolMagnet. For parents, the key takeaway is that Fultondale offers a strong middle school experience and serves many students well, but the high school years—particularly English—need attention.