Lanett Senior High School

Lanett Senior High School serves approximately 260 students in grades 9-12 in Lanett, AL, within the Lanett City school district, and has recently ranked in the bottom 4% of Alabama high schools.

Academic proficiency at Lanett Senior High is dramatically lower than state averages and nearby schools. In the most recent testing year, only about 5% of 11th graders scored proficient in math, 8% in science, and 3% in English—compared to state averages of 27%, 36%, and 34%, respectively. This gap is especially stark when compared to Valley High School, located just under 4 miles away, which posts proficiency rates roughly 3-5 times higher across all subjects despite serving a similar student population. The school's graduation rate of 78.6% also trails the state average of 91.5% by nearly 13 points, and chronic absenteeism sits at 29.6%—about 2.5 times the state average and nearly three times the rate at Valley High (10.3%).

There are some bright spots worth noting. The school performs relatively better for English Language Learners (ranking in the 37th percentile statewide) and has shown it can improve: in 2022-2023, when absenteeism was at its lowest recent level (20.9%), math and English proficiency were roughly three to four times higher than today. This suggests that improving attendance could be a powerful lever for turning things around. It's also important to note that the school spends more per student ($12,758) than nearby Opelika High School ($11,942) and significantly more than Valley High ($8,886), so funding levels are not the primary issue. For parents considering this school, the key takeaway is that while the current numbers are concerning, the school's recent history shows it is capable of better outcomes—and addressing chronic absenteeism may be the most important factor in reversing the current trend.