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Helena High School

Public Grades 9-12

21^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 380 Alabama High Schools

Better than 94% of Alabama high schools

Summary

Helena High School in Helena, AL, is a top-performing public high school serving 1,383 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Shelby County school district, which ranks in the top 30% of Alabama districts.

Helena High consistently ranks among the top 15% of Alabama high schools, and its most recent performance places it 21st statewide (94th percentile, 5 stars). The school's academic proficiency rates significantly exceed state averages—by roughly 19 points in Math, 21 points in Science, and 18 points in English—and it also outperforms its own district averages by 5-8 points in every subject. What's especially encouraging is the dramatic year-over-year improvement: between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, proficiency jumped by about 10-12 percentage points in every subject. The graduation rate is a rock-solid 95.4%, and the school has never dropped below 93% in the past five years. Helena High also shines with specific student groups: African American students rank in the top 5% statewide, low-income students rank in the top 8%, and military-connected students rank #1 in Alabama. English Language Learners also perform exceptionally well, ranking in the top 12% statewide.

Compared to nearby schools, Helena High is a standout for efficiency. It spends about $8,579 per student—significantly less than Thompson High School ($12,268) or Pelham High School ($11,406)—yet outperforms both in Math and English. It trails elite neighbors like Oak Mountain High School and Hoover High School in raw scores, but closes that gap with a lower chronic absenteeism rate than Oak Mountain and a better student-teacher ratio than both. The contrast with Bessemer City High School, just 10 miles away, is stark—Bessemer's proficiency rates are roughly one-tenth of Helena's. The main area for improvement is chronic absenteeism (14.6%, above the state average of 12%), though the trend is improving. Overall, Helena High delivers exceptional results with fewer resources, making it a smart choice for families seeking strong academics and proven support for diverse learners.

1,383

Students ?

17.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,579

Per pupil spending ?

26.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1310 Hillsboro Parkway
Helena, AL 35080

(205) 682-3650

District: Shelby County

Feeder schools for Helena High School:

Elementary:	Helena Elementary School
	Helena Intermediate School
Middle:	Helena Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

69.5%

African American:

16.5%

Hispanic:

9.2%

See top rated Alabama high schools

Compare Helena High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 96th percentile in 2016 → 94th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Alabama average (52% vs 32% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 6% of Alabama high schools

✓95% graduate in 4 years — above the Alabama average (92%)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school52%

District avg46%

Alabama avg32%

21^st of 380

Alabama public high schools ?

Top 6%▼ down 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Alabama High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 7High Schools in the Shelby County

29^th of 139Shelby 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	93.3	21 of 380	94.5%	★★★★★
2025	85.5	49 of 374	86.9%	★★★★☆
2024	91.0	32 of 378	91.5%	★★★★★
2023	90.2	37 of 371	90.0%	★★★★★
2022	89.2	38 of 367	89.6%	★★★★☆
2021	90.4	35 of 371	90.6%	★★★★★
2019	93.3	24 of 366	93.4%	★★★★★
2018	96.8	15 of 356	95.8%	★★★★★
2017	94.2	19 of 353	94.6%	★★★★★
2016	96.0	14 of 351	96.0%	★★★★★
2015	94.3	18 of 353	94.9%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	93.5	11 of 234	95.3%	★★★★★
2025	76.3	32 of 228	86.0%	★★★★☆
2024	74.8	36 of 231	84.4%	★★★★☆
2023	81.0	25 of 224	88.8%	★★★★☆
2022	92.3	14 of 222	93.7%	★★★★★
2021	97.7	5 of 228	97.8%	★★★★★
2019	86.8	17 of 224	92.4%	★★★★★
2018	96.5	7 of 223	96.9%	★★★★★
2017	80.7	23 of 189	87.8%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	80.6	8 of 75	89.3%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	94.1	16 of 372	95.7%	★★★★★
2025	77.7	76 of 359	78.8%	★★★★☆
2024	90.4	32 of 366	91.3%	★★★★★
2023	88.1	38 of 358	89.4%	★★★★☆
2022	83.1	47 of 367	87.2%	★★★★☆
2021	88.1	38 of 359	89.4%	★★★★☆
2019	91.5	28 of 354	92.1%	★★★★★
2018	96.2	13 of 347	96.3%	★★★★★
2017	94.5	18 of 343	94.8%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	79.8	24 of 142	83.1%	★★★★☆
2024	50.5	59 of 139	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	74.1	26 of 122	78.7%	★★★★☆
2022	67.1	30 of 114	73.7%	★★★★☆
2021	98.5	3 of 113	97.3%	★★★★★
2019	61.6	31 of 103	69.9%	★★★★☆
2018	97.4	2 of 95	97.9%	★★★★★
2017	86.2	12 of 93	87.1%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	86.5	29 of 377	92.3%	★★★★★
2025	69.0	87 of 367	76.3%	★★★★☆
2024	85.8	31 of 375	91.7%	★★★★★
2023	75.3	68 of 349	80.5%	★★★★☆
2022	72.5	63 of 361	82.5%	★★★★☆
2021	96.0	10 of 361	97.2%	★★★★★
2019	64.9	111 of 358	69.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	93.7	13 of 349	96.3%	★★★★★
2017	75.3	46 of 315	85.4%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	89.4	30 of 375	92.0%	★★★★★
2025	88.8	38 of 363	89.5%	★★★★☆
2024	88.5	33 of 368	91.0%	★★★★★
2023	89.0	37 of 358	89.7%	★★★★☆
2022	90.4	33 of 366	91.0%	★★★★★
2021	88.3	34 of 366	90.7%	★★★★★
2019	92.8	20 of 357	94.4%	★★★★★
2018	95.2	17 of 350	95.1%	★★★★★
2017	90.2	25 of 339	92.6%	★★★★★

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	93.6	1 of 28	96.4%	★★★★★
2025	28.8	24 of 29	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	43.6	15 of 24	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	51.6	16 of 27	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	70.9	7 of 26	73.1%	★★★★☆
2021	69.8	6 of 25	76.0%	★★★★☆
2019	86.0	1 of 14	92.9%	★★★★★
2018	80.6	3 of 18	83.3%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	60.4	41 of 122	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.4	21 of 56	62.5%	★★★☆☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2023	19.2	38 of 45	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	56.2	60 of 197	69.5%	★★★★☆
2025	49.3	82 of 194	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	92.1	8 of 198	96.0%	★★★★★
2023	77.7	24 of 182	86.8%	★★★★☆
2022	81.3	21 of 169	87.6%	★★★★☆
2021	68.4	44 of 196	77.6%	★★★★☆
2019	56.9	56 of 171	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	89.1	14 of 160	91.3%	★★★★★
2017	63.5	18 of 83	78.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	88.4	32 of 316	89.9%	★★★★★
2025	80.8	52 of 325	84.0%	★★★★☆
2024	87.6	33 of 325	89.8%	★★★★★
2023	87.1	40 of 317	87.4%	★★★★☆
2022	80.4	53 of 326	83.7%	★★★★☆
2021	81.0	52 of 319	83.7%	★★★★☆
2019	89.7	28 of 313	91.1%	★★★★★
2018	92.8	23 of 300	92.3%	★★★★★
2017	85.1	29 of 230	87.4%	★★★★☆

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)

Military Connected (2026)96th percentile~ school

Female (2026)96th percentile~ school

African American (2026)95th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)92nd percentile~ school

Male (2026)92nd percentile~ school

White (2026)90th percentile-5 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)89th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)83rd percentile-4 vs school

Special Education (2026)70th percentile-25 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)66th percentile-28 vs school

Native American (2023)16th percentile-74 vs school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

Science57%+21 vs state

English52%+18 vs state

Mathematics46%+19 vs state

★

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Schools Near Helena 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 11th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 11th Grade	Summative Assessment English 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Helena High School	Public	9-12	1310 Hillsboro Parkway	Helena	35080	Shelby County	Shelby County	No	No	No	No	(205) 682-3650	1,383	79	17.6	26.4%	961 (69.5%)	228 (16.5%)	127 (9.2%)	24 (1.7%)	5 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	37 (2.7%)	93.3	21^st of 380 public high schools	94.5%		85.5	49^th of 374 public high schools	86.9%	28	46.3	57.3	51.7	$8,579	$631	$7,932
Pelham High School	Public	9-12	2500 Panther Cir	Pelham	35124	Shelby County	Pelham City	No	No	No	No	(205) 624-3701	1,076	73	14.8	43.2%	469 (43.6%)	212 (19.7%)	320 (29.7%)	30 (2.8%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	40 (3.7%)	80.2	59^th of 380 public high schools	84.5%		76	82^nd of 374 public high schools	78.1%	23	39.9	42.8	41.7	$11,406	$899	$10,506
Thompson High School	Public	9-12	1921 Warrior Parkway	Alabaster	35007	Shelby County	Alabaster City	No	No	No	No	(205) 685-6700	2,060	128	16.1	49.9%	992 (48.2%)	522 (25.3%)	471 (22.9%)	24 (1.2%)	12 (0.6%)	2 (0.1%)	37 (1.8%)	81.9	54^th of 380 public high schools	85.8%		78.4	71^st of 374 public high schools	81.0%	17	37.3	54.0	37.9	$12,268	$891	$11,363
Crossroads School	Public	6-12	1085 Buccaneer Drive	Hoover	35244	Jefferson County	Hoover City	No	No	No	No	(205) 439-1800																			(n/a)
Hoover High School	Public	9-12	1000 Buccaneer Drive	Hoover	35244	Jefferson County	Hoover City	No	No	No	No	(205) 439-1200	2,919	185	15.7	29.6%	1,469 (50.3%)	778 (26.7%)	316 (10.8%)	235 (8.1%)	2 (0.1%)	4 (0.1%)	115 (3.9%)	98.2	11^th of 380 public high schools	97.1%		93	24^th of 374 public high schools	93.6%	13	60.4	65.3	59.7	$11,758	$943	$10,814
Riverchase Career Connection Center	Public	10-12	853 Willow Oak Drive	Hoover	35244	Jefferson County	Hoover City	No	No	No	No	(205) 439-1900																			(n/a)
McAdory High School	Public	9-12	4800 McAdory School Rd	Mc Calla	35111	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	No	(205) 379-4700	1,259	70	18.1	52.7%	200 (15.9%)	797 (63.3%)	238 (18.9%)	6 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (1.4%)	24.1	289^th of 380 public high schools	23.9%		13.1	340^th of 374 public high schools	9.1%	51	9.7	24.5	14.8	$8,839	$665	$8,156
Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School	Public, Charter	9-12	114 2nd Avenue North	Bessemer	35020	Jefferson County	Alabama Aerospace and Aviation	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(205) 538-0702	161	8	20.1	61.5%	13 (8.1%)	126 (78.3%)	12 (7.5%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (5.6%)	35.1	253^rd of 380 public high schools	33.4%					(n/a)	11.6	16.3	34.9
Bessemer City High School	Public	9-12	4950 Premiere Parkway	Bessemer	35022	Jefferson County	Bessemer City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 432-3700	760	35	21.7	79.6%	7 (0.9%)	583 (76.7%)	166 (21.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.5%)	10.8	353^rd of 380 public high schools	7.1%		9	366^th of 374 public high schools	2.1%	13	5.4	9.4	8.6	$9,771	$1,979	$7,776
Bessemer Center For Technology	Public	9-12	4940 Premiere Parkway	Bessemer	35022	Jefferson County	Bessemer City	No	No	No	No	(205) 432-3805																			(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Helena High School

What is the racial makeup of Helena High School?

Students at Helena High School are 69% White, 16% African American, 9% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Is Helena High School a good school?

Yes. Helena High School ranks in the top 5.5% of Alabama high schools.

How many students attend Helena High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,383 students attended Helena High School.

What district is Helena High School in?

Shelby County

What schools feed into Helena High School?

Helena High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Helena Elementary School
Elementary : Helena Intermediate School
Middle : Helena Middle

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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.