Tarrant High School

Tarrant High School in Tarrant, AL, serves 597 students in grades 7 through 12 and is part of the Tarrant City district, which ranks near the bottom statewide.

Academically, the school faces significant challenges. Only 1.69% of 11th graders were proficient in math in the most recent testing year, compared to a 27.21% state average. Science proficiency (11.86%) and English proficiency (7.02%) also lag far behind state averages. These scores are the lowest among nearby schools, including Parker High School (12.62% math) and Huffman High School (19.25% math). Chronic absenteeism is another concern, with 30.3% of students missing significant school time—more than double the state average of 12%. However, there are bright spots. The graduation rate has soared from 68.4% in 2021-2022 to 94.3% in 2024-2025, now exceeding the state average of 91.5%. Additionally, English Language Learner students ranked in the 61st percentile statewide, a remarkable achievement that shows targeted support can work.

Comparing Tarrant to Fultondale High School, just 1.25 miles away, is instructive. Fultondale serves a similar percentage of students from low-income households (71.6% free/reduced lunch) but achieves far better outcomes: 14.12% math proficiency, 22.35% science proficiency, and a 90% graduation rate. This nearby success suggests Tarrant's challenges are not insurmountable. The path forward likely involves tackling chronic absenteeism, building on the ELL program's success, and ensuring that the strong graduation rate translates into genuine academic preparation. While the school's overall performance places it in the bottom 5% of Alabama high schools, the dramatic improvements in graduation and ELL outcomes demonstrate that meaningful change is possible.