Paul W Bryant High School

Paul W Bryant High School in Cottondale, AL, is a large public school serving 1,134 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Tuscaloosa City district. The school has faced academic challenges for years, ranking in the bottom quarter of Alabama high schools, though it did show slight improvement in the most recent ranking year.

Overall test scores at Paul W Bryant are significantly below district and state averages. For example, only about 10% of 11th graders were proficient in math, compared to 22% in the district and 27% statewide. This performance is similar to other area schools like Central High School and Holt High School, but dramatically lower than Northridge High School, where math proficiency is nearly 47%. Chronic absenteeism, while improving from past years, remains a concern at 17.5%—higher than the district and state averages, though better than Central High's 31.8%.

Despite these challenges, Paul W Bryant has remarkable strengths. The school ranks in the 93rd percentile statewide for English Language Learner students, earning a 5-star rating, and Special Education students consistently rank in the top quartile. These are standout achievements compared to every other school in the area. The graduation rate is also a bright spot at 91.7%, exceeding both district and state averages. However, performance for other groups, such as low-income students, has remained consistently low, and results for White students have fluctuated widely from year to year. The school spends about $9,385 per student, which is less than some nearby schools like Central High ($14,113) and Holt High ($17,319), suggesting the issue may be more about resource allocation than funding levels. In short, Paul W Bryant is a school with clear pockets of excellence that could serve as models for improving outcomes across the entire student body.