Pickens County High School

Pickens County High School in Reform, AL, is a small public school serving roughly 265 students in grades 5 through 12 within the Pickens County district. With about 78% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, the school serves a predominantly low-income community, yet it has recently posted some of the most impressive academic gains in the state.

The most striking story here is the school’s dramatic turnaround between the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years. In just one year, 11th-grade math proficiency jumped from under 3% to over 19%, science proficiency doubled to nearly 39%, and English proficiency more than tripled to 35%—both science and English now exceed state averages. This improvement pushed the school from the bottom quarter of Alabama high schools to the 65th percentile overall. The school also earned a 4-star rating for its work with low-income students (ranking in the top 17% statewide) and a 4-star rating for its work with African American students. Its 97.4% graduation rate far exceeds both the district (92.6%) and state (91.5%) averages. Compared to nearby Gordo High School, Pickens County now outperforms it in overall ranking, 11th-grade science, and graduation rate—despite serving a much higher percentage of students in poverty. It also dramatically outperforms Aliceville High School, where 11th-grade math proficiency sits at 0%.

That said, parents should be aware of some volatility. The school’s small size—roughly 33 students per grade—means percentages can swing widely from year to year. Chronic absenteeism (15.7%) is above the state average, and middle school grades (5-8) show more inconsistent performance than the high school grades, with 6th-grade math at 0% proficiency. Still, with a favorable student-teacher ratio of 17.4 (better than both Gordo and Aliceville) and a clear track record of lifting its most vulnerable students, Pickens County High School appears to have found a formula worth watching.