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Waterloo High School

Public, Alternative Grades PK, KG-12
436th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 686 Alabama Alternative Schools
Better than 36% of Alabama alternative schools
Summary

Waterloo High School in Waterloo, AL, is a small, rural PK-12 school serving 337 students within the Lauderdale County district. It is the only school within 20 miles, making it the central educational hub for this tight-knit community.

One of the school's biggest strengths is its commitment to seeing students through to graduation. The graduation rate has consistently beaten the state average, reaching an impressive 95.8% in 2024-2025, nearly matching the district's 96.0% and well above the state's 91.5%. This is a notable achievement, especially given that a high percentage of students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. However, this success is tempered by a significant challenge: chronic absenteeism. At 23.7%, the rate is nearly double the state average of 12.0%, which almost certainly impacts learning. While the district also struggles with this issue (23.4%), it remains a critical area of concern for the school.

Academically, the school presents a mixed picture. Elementary students, particularly in 3rd grade, often perform at or above state averages in English, with a 75% proficiency rate in 2025-2026 compared to 64.75% statewide. However, there is a sharp decline by 11th grade, where proficiency in Math (5.56%) and Science lags far behind district and state averages. There is a silver lining: 11th-grade English showed a remarkable jump to 46.15% proficiency in 2024-2025, suggesting that targeted literacy efforts can work. The school's "Alternative" designation, combined with its PK-12 span, suggests it may be successfully integrating support for at-risk students, but the data indicates that keeping students in school and ensuring they master grade-level material are two separate, ongoing battles.

337
Students ?
18.2
Student/teacher ratio ?
$17,596
Per pupil spending ?
51.9%
Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?
 311 Schoolhouse Ln
       Waterloo, AL  35677

(256) 766-3100

District: Lauderdale County

Racial breakdown:

White:
96.1%
African American:
1.5%
Hispanic:
1.5%
more
 See top rated Alabama elementary schools

 Compare Waterloo High School to nearby alternative schools!
At a glance
▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 68th percentile in 2023 → 13th in 2026
Worth a look
!Test scores below the Alabama average (37% vs 46% meeting standards)
!High chronic absenteeism (20% vs 10% Alabama)
!Ranking has slipped — down 55 percentile points since 2023
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school37%
District avg49%
Alabama avg46%
Elementary school
436th of 686
Alabama public elementary schools ?
Bottom 36%▼ down 6 pts since 2016
From bottom 42% (2016) to bottom 36% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Alabama Elementary Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
Middle school
203rd of 449
Alabama public middle schools ?
Top 45%▲ up 18 pts since 2016
From bottom 37% (2016) to top 45% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Alabama Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
High school
335th of 386
Alabama public high schools ?
Bottom 13%▼ down 34 pts since 2016
From bottom 47% (2016) to bottom 13% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Alabama High Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
54th of 140Lauderdale 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
202639.6436 of 68636.4%★★☆☆☆
202553.0334 of 68050.9%★★★☆☆
202450.6345 of 68449.6%★★☆☆☆
202353.8320 of 68052.9%★★★☆☆
202251.3346 of 68749.6%★★☆☆☆
202149.0352 of 69249.1%★★☆☆☆
201965.3221 of 68167.5%★★★☆☆
201853.2341 of 68049.9%★★☆☆☆
201763.4227 of 68867.0%★★★☆☆
201643.3401 of 69142.0%★★☆☆☆
201550.3340 of 69150.8%★★★☆☆
201442.5429 of 69538.3%★★☆☆☆
201335.6554 of 69620.4%★☆☆☆☆
201224.5607 of 69612.8%★☆☆☆☆
201130.9570 of 70919.6%★☆☆☆☆
201047.4446 of 70436.6%★★☆☆☆
200938.9495 of 69628.9%★☆☆☆☆
200825.1606 of 69813.2%★☆☆☆☆
200744.4440 of 69837.0%★★☆☆☆
200622.2608 of 68911.8%★☆☆☆☆
200528.4562 of 68818.3%★☆☆☆☆
200425.7502 of 62319.4%★☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202640.8411 of 65136.9%★★☆☆☆
202555.7285 of 64956.1%★★★☆☆
202468.0188 of 65071.1%★★★★☆
202370.7172 of 64573.3%★★★★☆
202277.2122 of 65681.4%★★★★☆
202167.1189 of 65671.2%★★★★☆
201957.6261 of 64659.6%★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202629.1495 of 66725.8%★☆☆☆☆
202558.1262 of 66060.3%★★★☆☆
202465.6211 of 67068.5%★★★☆☆
202265.4187 of 65171.3%★★★★☆
202156.7274 of 65358.0%★★★☆☆
201978.477 of 64988.1%★★★★☆
201858.5265 of 65159.3%★★★☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202649.0350 of 65946.9%★★☆☆☆
202530.7454 of 65130.3%★★☆☆☆
202436.7432 of 65534.0%★★☆☆☆
202340.1406 of 64937.4%★★☆☆☆
202242.6387 of 66942.2%★★☆☆☆
202127.4482 of 66928.0%★☆☆☆☆
201830.5465 of 65028.5%★☆☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202618.0457 of 5018.8%☆☆☆☆☆
202534.3376 of 53229.3%★☆☆☆☆
202430.6407 of 53523.9%★☆☆☆☆
202331.3391 of 52825.9%★☆☆☆☆
202232.3386 of 54028.5%★☆☆☆☆
202133.0381 of 53929.3%★☆☆☆☆
201948.4269 of 52949.1%★★☆☆☆
201836.0350 of 50831.1%★★☆☆☆
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202653.0203 of 44954.8%★★★☆☆
202561.3143 of 43967.4%★★★☆☆
202469.1107 of 44275.8%★★★★☆
202345.4233 of 43746.7%★★☆☆☆
202251.0196 of 43254.6%★★★☆☆
202139.9264 of 44040.0%★★☆☆☆
201942.9265 of 43739.4%★★☆☆☆
201854.9181 of 42357.2%★★★☆☆
201753.1190 of 43256.0%★★★☆☆
201638.5274 of 43236.6%★★☆☆☆
201533.5295 of 43031.4%★★☆☆☆
201438.8277 of 43836.8%★★☆☆☆
201319.8384 of 43611.9%★☆☆☆☆
201225.1353 of 43619.0%★☆☆☆☆
201141.3281 of 43535.4%★★☆☆☆
201037.0301 of 43530.8%★★☆☆☆
200941.2275 of 42535.3%★★☆☆☆
200845.3245 of 41741.2%★★☆☆☆
200744.7246 of 41240.3%★★☆☆☆
200647.5226 of 40944.7%★★☆☆☆
200548.5216 of 41548.0%★★☆☆☆
200427.2320 of 40721.4%★☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202676.282 of 42780.8%★★★★☆
202577.369 of 41583.4%★★★★☆
202472.787 of 42679.6%★★★★☆
202281.352 of 42387.7%★★★★☆
202143.1234 of 41543.6%★★☆☆☆
201953.1183 of 39954.1%★★★☆☆
201878.161 of 39284.4%★★★★☆
201756.8149 of 38060.8%★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202648.7207 of 43852.7%★★★☆☆
202573.680 of 42881.3%★★★★☆
202472.680 of 43781.7%★★★★☆
202263.8110 of 42173.9%★★★★☆
202131.6294 of 41529.2%★☆☆☆☆
201952.4184 of 39653.5%★★★☆☆
201851.5192 of 39651.5%★★★☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202632.7285 of 42633.1%★★☆☆☆
202524.9317 of 42224.9%★☆☆☆☆
202456.1165 of 42861.4%★★★☆☆
202341.7245 of 41941.5%★★☆☆☆
202227.0324 of 42724.1%★☆☆☆☆
201926.6306 of 39923.3%★☆☆☆☆
201829.8299 of 39724.7%★☆☆☆☆
201746.0204 of 38046.3%★★☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202629.8271 of 35924.5%★☆☆☆☆
202544.0200 of 37746.9%★★☆☆☆
202455.1138 of 37363.0%★★★☆☆
202333.3248 of 37033.0%★★☆☆☆
202238.5220 of 37641.5%★★☆☆☆
202126.9286 of 36922.5%★☆☆☆☆
201926.6277 of 34319.2%★☆☆☆☆
201835.5209 of 33136.9%★★☆☆☆
High school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202616.8335 of 38613.2%★☆☆☆☆
202560.6131 of 37465.0%★★★☆☆
202427.8273 of 37827.8%★☆☆☆☆
202363.0117 of 37168.5%★★★☆☆
202222.1289 of 36721.3%★☆☆☆☆
202129.1264 of 37128.8%★☆☆☆☆
201915.3309 of 36615.6%★☆☆☆☆
201850.4175 of 35650.8%★★★☆☆
201738.1208 of 35341.1%★★☆☆☆
201643.6186 of 35147.0%★★☆☆☆
201542.7204 of 35342.2%★★☆☆☆
201460.0129 of 35864.0%★★★☆☆
201347.2247 of 35831.0%★★☆☆☆
201251.7204 of 35843.0%★★☆☆☆
201137.4273 of 36024.2%★☆☆☆☆
201012.4350 of 3582.2%☆☆☆☆☆
200952.7190 of 35746.8%★★☆☆☆
200849.1211 of 35941.2%★★☆☆☆
200740.9241 of 35832.7%★★☆☆☆
200661.9132 of 35763.0%★★★☆☆
200560.4137 of 35961.8%★★★☆☆
200455.6165 of 35753.8%★★★☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202560.4122 of 35966.0%★★★☆☆
202435.6229 of 36637.4%★★☆☆☆
202390.137 of 35889.7%★★★★☆
202231.7247 of 36732.7%★★☆☆☆
202121.5284 of 35920.9%★☆☆☆☆
201920.4287 of 35418.9%★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202575.068 of 36781.5%★★★★☆
202425.7286 of 37523.7%★☆☆☆☆
202377.561 of 34982.5%★★★★☆
202215.3325 of 36110.0%★☆☆☆☆
202129.4260 of 36128.0%★☆☆☆☆
201910.3337 of 3585.9%☆☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
202618.1319 of 38016.1%★☆☆☆☆
202557.0140 of 36361.4%★★★☆☆
202321.6285 of 35820.4%★☆☆☆☆
202215.8316 of 36613.7%★☆☆☆☆
202138.6217 of 36640.7%★★☆☆☆
201911.5317 of 35711.2%★☆☆☆☆
201862.2129 of 35063.1%★★★☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankAlabama percentileRating
20267.8313 of 3202.2%☆☆☆☆☆
202547.1162 of 32550.2%★★★☆☆
202416.4296 of 3258.9%☆☆☆☆☆
202345.7149 of 31753.0%★★★☆☆
202212.2309 of 3265.2%☆☆☆☆☆
202119.7271 of 31915.0%★☆☆☆☆
20195.9298 of 3134.8%☆☆☆☆☆
201818.5259 of 30013.7%★☆☆☆☆
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
Male (2026)47th percentile+10 vs school
Female (2026)37th percentile~ school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)26th percentile-11 vs school
White (2026)9th percentile-28 vs school
Middle school
Female (2026)81st percentile+26 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)53rd percentile~ school
Male (2026)33rd percentile-22 vs school
White (2026)25th percentile-30 vs school
High school
Low Socio Economic Status (2025)81st percentile+16 vs school
Female (2025)66th percentile~ school
Male (2026)16th percentile+3 vs school
White (2026)2nd percentile-11 vs school
By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?
English51%-6 vs state
Science31%-16 vs state
Mathematics26%-8 vs state

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Frequently Asked Questions about Waterloo High School

Waterloo High School ranks 436th of 686 Alabama alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Waterloo High School are 96% White, 1% African American, 1% Hispanic.

In the 2024-25 school year, 337 students attended Waterloo High School.

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Latest Alabama data All new data »
2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesNewNov 12, 2026
2024–25 school spending dataNewNov 9, 2026
2023–24 school spending dataNewNov 8, 2026
2019–20 through 2022–23 school spending dataOct 6, 2026


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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