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Hillcrest High School

Q: Is Hillcrest High School a good school?

Hillcrest High School ranks 165 th of 386 Alabama high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

165^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 386 Alabama High Schools

Better than 57% of Alabama high schools

Summary

Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, AL, is a large public high school serving 1,434 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Tuscaloosa County school district, where just over half of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Hillcrest is a solid mid-tier performer in Alabama, ranking 164th out of 380 high schools (57th percentile, 3 stars) in 2025-2026—a significant improvement from the previous year's 229th place ranking. The school outperforms its district in math and science proficiency, and its graduation rate of 93.1% exceeds both district and state averages. Notably, Hillcrest excels at serving many student groups: African American students rank in the 71st percentile statewide, English Language Learners rank in the 71st percentile, and multi-racial students rank in the 81st percentile. However, the school struggles significantly with its special education population, which ranks in the 26th percentile—a clear area needing attention. When compared to nearby schools, Hillcrest outperforms Holt High School, Central High School, and Paul W Bryant High School, but trails significantly behind Northridge High School, which has proficiency rates nearly double Hillcrest's in all subjects.

The most pressing concern at Hillcrest is chronic absenteeism, which at 19.1% is nearly double the district average (11.8%) and significantly higher than nearby schools like Hale County High School (6.0%)—even those serving higher-poverty populations. This suggests absenteeism is tied to school culture or engagement rather than just socioeconomic factors. On the positive side, Hillcrest spends less per student ($8,119) than most nearby schools yet achieves better results than several, indicating efficient resource use. The school's rankings have been volatile over the past decade, swinging from 94th in 2018-2019 to 229th in 2024-2025 and back to 164th in 2025-2026, suggesting the recent gains could be replicated if the school identifies what drove the improvement. With a strong graduation rate and notable success with minority and ELL students, Hillcrest's biggest opportunity lies in addressing absenteeism and stabilizing its instructional approach to build on recent progress.

1,434

Students ?

18.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,119

Per pupil spending ?

50.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

300 Patriot Pkwy
Tuscaloosa, AL 35405

(205) 342-2800

District: Tuscaloosa County

Feeder schools for Hillcrest High School:

Elementary:	Big Sandy Elementary
	Englewood Elementary School
	Maxwell Elementary School
	Taylorville Primary School
Middle:	Duncanville Middle School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

57.0%

White:

33.3%

Hispanic:

6.1%

See top rated Alabama high schools

Compare Hillcrest High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 71st percentile in 2016 → 57th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Alabama median (57th percentile)

Worth a look

!High chronic absenteeism (19% vs 12% Alabama)

!Ranking has slipped — down 14 percentile points since 2016

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school29%

District avg28%

Alabama avg32%

165^th of 386

Alabama public high schools ?

Top 43%▼ down 13 pts since 2016

From top 29% (2016) to top 43% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alabama High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 6High Schools in the Tuscaloosa County

90^th of 140Tuscaloosa 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	52.6	165 of 386	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	34.5	229 of 374	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	55.6	146 of 378	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.9	137 of 371	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.0	115 of 367	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	50.8	160 of 371	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	73.1	94 of 366	74.3%	★★★★☆
2018	66.4	115 of 356	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	64.1	101 of 353	71.4%	★★★★☆
2016	64.6	103 of 351	70.7%	★★★★☆
2015	60.2	116 of 353	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2014	61.7	119 of 358	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2013	65.6	80 of 358	77.7%	★★★★☆
2012	65.0	114 of 358	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2011	73.2	60 of 360	83.3%	★★★★☆
2010	79.2	35 of 358	90.2%	★★★★★
2009	76.4	47 of 357	86.8%	★★★★☆
2008	71.9	57 of 359	84.1%	★★★★☆
2007	70.4	95 of 358	73.5%	★★★★☆
2006	63.8	110 of 357	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2005	77.4	39 of 359	89.1%	★★★★☆
2004	71.4	72 of 357	79.8%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	60.5	70 of 238	70.6%	★★★★☆
2025	37.3	129 of 228	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	57.9	65 of 231	71.9%	★★★★☆
2023	53.5	75 of 224	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	63.7	46 of 222	79.3%	★★★★☆
2021	49.6	83 of 228	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	77.1	32 of 224	85.7%	★★★★☆
2018	67.7	49 of 223	78.0%	★★★★☆
2017	58.8	50 of 189	73.5%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	54.5	26 of 90	71.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	51.6	173 of 377	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	37.5	209 of 359	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.3	161 of 366	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.4	159 of 358	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	58.5	133 of 367	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	66.1	101 of 359	71.9%	★★★★☆
2019	78.5	68 of 354	80.8%	★★★★☆
2018	68.6	103 of 347	70.3%	★★★★☆
2017	75.7	69 of 343	79.9%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	38.9	40 of 70	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	43.9	68 of 142	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	30.0	90 of 139	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	60.4	40 of 122	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	64.2	27 of 113	76.1%	★★★★☆
2019	24.9	79 of 103	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	48.6	177 of 383	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	25.2	279 of 367	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	38.6	226 of 375	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.1	179 of 349	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	63.1	103 of 361	71.5%	★★★★☆
2021	34.5	235 of 361	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	55.2	154 of 358	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.6	138 of 349	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	40.5	185 of 315	41.3%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	51.1	169 of 380	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	30.4	241 of 363	33.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	58.9	131 of 368	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.9	115 of 358	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	58.0	123 of 366	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	30.4	251 of 366	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	61.4	136 of 357	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.5	133 of 350	62.0%	★★★☆☆
2017	47.4	164 of 339	51.6%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	77.2	23 of 123	81.3%	★★★★☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2021	29.3	24 of 40	40.0%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	30.9	145 of 197	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	31.6	135 of 194	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.0	137 of 198	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	72.5	34 of 182	81.3%	★★★★☆
2022	99.6	3 of 169	98.2%	★★★★★
2021	42.7	110 of 196	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	48.2	74 of 171	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.4	41 of 160	74.4%	★★★★☆
2017	40.6	51 of 83	38.6%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	70.5	77 of 320	75.9%	★★★★☆
2025	48.6	155 of 325	52.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	71.7	72 of 325	77.8%	★★★★☆
2023	77.6	65 of 317	79.5%	★★★★☆
2022	79.1	57 of 326	82.5%	★★★★☆
2021	66.1	82 of 319	74.3%	★★★★☆
2019	85.2	37 of 313	88.2%	★★★★☆
2018	76.6	53 of 300	82.3%	★★★★☆
2017	69.1	57 of 230	75.2%	★★★★☆

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)

Multi-racial (2026)81st percentile+24 vs school

White (2026)76th percentile+19 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)71st percentile+14 vs school

African American (2026)71st percentile+13 vs school

Male (2026)56th percentile~ school

Female (2026)54th percentile-3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)54th percentile-3 vs school

Hispanic (2026)43rd percentile-14 vs school

Native American (2021)40th percentile-17 vs school

Special Education (2026)26th percentile-31 vs school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

Science38%~ state avg

English25%-8 vs state

Mathematics23%-4 vs state

1.8

5 ratings · 5 written reviews

5★0

4★1

3★0

2★1

1★3

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, February 18, 2013

This schools rankings has dropped from the top 80 something percent to just barely over 50%. I'm giving serious thought to taking my child out and putting in private school where their accountable to the parents instead of the dictatorship displayed by this school!Stop the bleeding and replace management! Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, February 15, 2013

I have to agree with the previous post. I have tried to bring issues up to the principle only to be left feeling like i've wasted my time! Theres always an excuse and never a solution!Thet need to learn that these are our children and just possibly we may have something to say that could be right! In short untill changes are made in management at this school i don't see any changes being made for the better of the children. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, February 14, 2013

Bad leadership! Principle puts band before education and excuses before results! Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, October 12, 2010

We have two children that we have recently moved into this school district(9th and 11th grade). I did extensive research before building a home in any of the school districts. So far, we are extremely happy with Hillcrest. I have found the kids very well-mannered and accepting. My kids have found friends and activities quite easily. The educators seem to care and there are a number of advanced courses to participate in. The athletics seem above average for high school teams and the show choir/theater department is outstanding. I highly recommend this school. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, April 21, 2009

We were very disappointed in the Hillcrest part of the county school district. The bus on our daughter's route reportedly didn't have enough room for all the students coming home. Sometimes the teachers who were coaches spent their class time on coaching and not teaching. They disclosed private information about one student in front of others, a violation of Federal law. Another teacher forced students to participate in a religious-based assignment. Not a problem unless you are not of that denomination or mind-set. The students were allowed too much control over the classroom, making it a terrible experience for my child who ended up hating it so much they dropped out, even though a very intelligent, well-mannered student. We would have chosen a private school if we had known. Close Quote

Schools Near Hillcrest 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 6th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 11th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 11th Grade	Summative Assessment English 6th Grade	Summative Assessment English 7th Grade	Summative Assessment English 8th Grade	Summative Assessment English 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hillcrest High School	Public	9-12	300 Patriot Pkwy	Tuscaloosa	35405	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	No	(205) 342-2800	1,434	79	18.1	50.1%	478 (33.3%)	818 (57.0%)	88 (6.1%)	19 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (2.1%)	52.6	165^th of 386 public high schools	57.3%		34.5	229^th of 374 public high schools	38.8%	64				23.1		37.7				25.3	$8,119	$806	$7,290
Tuscaloosa County Juvenile Detention Center	Public	7-12	5941 12th Ave East	Tuscaloosa	35405	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	No	(205) 349-3131																			(n/a)
Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy	Public	9-12	2800 Martin Luther King Jr Bou	Tuscaloosa	35401	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	No	(205) 759-3649																			(n/a)
Central High School	Public	9-12	905 15th Street	Tuscaloosa	35401	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 759-3720	796	45	17.8	78.1%	37 (4.6%)	694 (87.2%)	55 (6.9%)	6 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	23	299^th of 386 public high schools	22.5%		17	311^th of 374 public high schools	16.8%	12				9.6		23.5				13.7	$14,113	$2,234	$11,666
Paul W Bryant High School	Public	9-12	6315 Mary Harmon Bryant Drive	Cottondale	35453	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 759-3538	1,134	54	21.0	64.8%	51 (4.5%)	979 (86.3%)	82 (7.2%)	7 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.4%)	10 (0.9%)	23.8	294^th of 386 public high schools	23.8%		15.8	323^rd of 374 public high schools	13.6%	29				10.0		21.7				17.0	$9,385	$1,183	$8,183
I Dream Big Charter Schools	Public, Charter	6-12	3601 Stillman Blvd	Tuscaloosa	35401	Tuscaloosa County	I Dream Big Charter Schools	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(731) 293-3677	0																		(n/a)	17.2	5.7	21.9		37.5		52.9	45.7	59.4
Holt High School	Public	9-12	301 44th Ct NE	Tuscaloosa	35404	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 342-2768	456	28	16.2	78.3%	95 (20.8%)	193 (42.3%)	164 (36.0%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17.6	324^th of 386 public high schools	16.1%		18.4	304^th of 374 public high schools	18.7%	20				9.4		15.9				12.8	$17,319	$5,702	$9,624
TCSS Academy	Public	6-12	3801 Alabama Avenue Northeast	Tuscaloosa	35404	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(205) 342-2858	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Northridge High School	Public	9-12	2901 Northridge Rd	Tuscaloosa	35406	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	No	(205) 759-3590	1,153	55	21.1	33.7%	604 (52.4%)	412 (35.7%)	71 (6.2%)	46 (4.0%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	16 (1.4%)	91	31^st of 386 public high schools	92.0%		85.9	47^th of 374 public high schools	87.4%	16				46.6		56.2				46.0	$9,436	$579	$8,838
Hale County High School	Public	9-12	50 Wildcat Way	Moundville	35474	Hale County	Hale County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 371-2514	354	22	16.4	57.1%	161 (45.5%)	178 (50.3%)	11 (3.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	17.4	327^th of 386 public high schools	15.3%		17.6	309^th of 374 public high schools	17.4%	18				5.2		16.9				15.6	$10,298	$1,755	$8,519

Frequently Asked Questions about Hillcrest High School

Is Hillcrest High School a good school?

Hillcrest High School ranks 165^th of 386 Alabama high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Hillcrest High School in?

Tuscaloosa County

How many students attend Hillcrest High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,434 students attended Hillcrest High School.

What schools feed into Hillcrest High School?

Hillcrest High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Big Sandy Elementary
Elementary : Englewood Elementary School
Elementary : Maxwell Elementary School
Elementary : Taylorville Primary School
Middle : Duncanville Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Hillcrest High School?

Students at Hillcrest High School are 57% African American, 33% White, 6% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

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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.