Ragland High School

Ragland High School is a small Pre-K through 12th grade school in Ragland, AL, serving 411 students within the St Clair County district, where a majority of students (about 68%) come from economically disadvantaged households.

Parents should be aware that Ragland faces some serious challenges, particularly with attendance and math. Chronic absenteeism is a major concern, with about 20% of students missing significant school time—that's more than double the district average of 9.9% and nearly double the state average. This is especially striking when compared to nearby Appalachian School, just 17 miles away, which has a chronic absenteeism rate of only 3%. Math proficiency is also critically low, with 0% of 7th and 8th graders meeting state standards in the most recent testing year. While early-grade English scores are a relative bright spot (with 3rd and 4th graders performing closer to state averages), these gains fade by middle and high school. The graduation rate has also taken a sharp downturn, falling from a perfect 100% in 2022-2023 to 84.6% in 2024-2025, now below the state average of 91.5%.

On a more positive note, the school maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 15.5:1 and spends more per student ($11,810) than Appalachian School ($9,761). The comparison with Appalachian School, which serves a similar population with much better outcomes, suggests that improvement is possible with targeted efforts. For parents, the key takeaway is that Ragland is a school with real strengths in early education and dedicated resources, but it is currently struggling with attendance and math achievement that will require focused attention to turn around.