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Buhl Elementary School

Q: Is Buhl Elementary School a good school?

Buhl Elementary School ranks 198 th of 686 Alabama elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-4

198^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 686 Alabama Elementary Schools

Better than 71% of Alabama elementary schools

Summary

Buhl Elementary School is a small, rural school in Buhl, AL, serving 206 students in grades PK through 4 as part of the Tuscaloosa County school district. This school has become a standout success story, earning a 4-star rating for two consecutive years after climbing from the 42nd percentile statewide in 2022-2023 to the 71st percentile for the 2025-2026 school year.

The most impressive thing about Buhl Elementary is its exceptional performance in English Language Arts. In the most recent school year, 80.56% of 3rd graders and 72.22% of 4th graders scored proficient in reading, dramatically outpacing both the district (56.24% and 56.18%) and state (64.75% and 59.53%) averages. The school also shines in 4th-grade science, where 69.44% of students are proficient—far exceeding the district's 42.53% and the state's 50.23%. What makes these numbers even more remarkable is that nearly half of the student body (48.06%) qualifies for free or reduced lunch, yet the school's low-income students rank in the 71st percentile statewide. This demonstrates a genuine commitment to helping every child succeed regardless of background.

Buhl Elementary stands out among its neighbors. It significantly outperforms Matthews Elementary (10th percentile), Crestmont Elementary (10th percentile), and Flatwoods Elementary (24th percentile), while matching the ELA scores of top-tier schools like Westwood Elementary and FaucettVestavia Elementary—despite serving a higher percentage of low-income families. The school has also dramatically reduced chronic absenteeism from 20% to just 6.2%, roughly half the district and state averages. With a favorable 13.5 student-teacher ratio and higher per-student spending ($10,697), Buhl Elementary is clearly investing its resources wisely. The one area for growth is math, where 4th-grade proficiency (37.14%) trails the state average (42.07%), but overall, this is a school on a remarkable upward trajectory.

206

Students ?

13.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,697

Per pupil spending ?

48.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

11968 Buhl School Rd
Buhl, AL 35446

(205) 342-2640

District: Tuscaloosa County

Students who attend Buhl Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Sipsey Valley Middle School
High:	Sipsey Valley High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

75.7%

Hispanic:

18.0%

African American:

2.9%

See top rated Alabama elementary schools

Compare Buhl Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 69th percentile in 2016 → 71st in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Alabama average (61% vs 52% meeting standards)

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Tuscaloosa County

✓Above the Alabama median (71st percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school61%

District avg43%

Alabama avg52%

198^th of 686

Alabama public elementary schools ?

Top 29%▲ up 3 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Alabama Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 17Elementary 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	69.6	198 of 686	71.1%	★★★★☆
2025	71.6	181 of 680	73.4%	★★★★☆
2024	56.1	303 of 684	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	43.6	396 of 680	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	52.5	335 of 687	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	76.0	128 of 692	81.5%	★★★★☆
2019	67.1	201 of 681	70.5%	★★★★☆
2018	68.0	215 of 680	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2017	73.5	154 of 688	77.6%	★★★★☆
2016	65.4	217 of 691	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2015	50.5	338 of 691	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2014	34.2	484 of 695	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	35.8	549 of 696	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	40.2	508 of 696	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	63.2	282 of 709	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2010	51.8	394 of 704	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2009	40.0	484 of 696	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2008	63.4	245 of 698	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2007	69.2	190 of 698	72.8%	★★★★☆
2006	69.8	160 of 689	76.8%	★★★★☆
2005	71.1	159 of 688	76.9%	★★★★☆
2004	67.6	169 of 623	72.9%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	66.3	211 of 651	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	56.8	280 of 649	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	49.6	330 of 650	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	39.3	397 of 645	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	52.7	301 of 656	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	81.1	92 of 656	86.0%	★★★★☆
2019	49.4	337 of 646	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.3	352 of 640	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2017	47.6	353 of 639	44.8%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	66.9	194 of 667	70.9%	★★★★☆
2025	71.3	153 of 660	76.8%	★★★★☆
2024	64.3	230 of 670	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.7	196 of 623	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.7	318 of 651	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	79.6	80 of 653	87.7%	★★★★☆
2019	77.8	78 of 649	88.0%	★★★★☆
2018	74.8	119 of 651	81.7%	★★★★☆
2017	62.3	179 of 567	68.4%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	67.6	205 of 659	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	75.7	138 of 651	78.8%	★★★★☆
2024	59.9	266 of 655	59.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	45.2	368 of 649	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	49.9	338 of 669	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	66.5	198 of 669	70.4%	★★★★☆
2019	78.3	105 of 650	83.8%	★★★★☆
2018	79.6	115 of 650	82.3%	★★★★☆
2017	85.3	69 of 639	89.2%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2023	26.2	302 of 373	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	47.3	156 of 345	54.8%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	61.0	173 of 501	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	65.3	169 of 532	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	49.8	276 of 535	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.0	423 of 528	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	37.8	340 of 540	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	65.6	152 of 539	71.8%	★★★★☆
2019	60.8	174 of 529	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.7	249 of 508	51.0%	★★★☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)71st percentile~ school

Male (2026)69th percentile~ school

Female (2026)68th percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)65th percentile-6 vs school

Special Education (2023)19th percentile-23 vs school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

English76%+14 vs state

Science69%+19 vs state

Mathematics42%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Buhl Elementary 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 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment English 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 5th Grade	Summative Assessment English 6th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Buhl Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	11968 Buhl School Rd	Buhl	35446	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 342-2640	206	15	13.5	48.1%	156 (75.7%)	6 (2.9%)	37 (18.0%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.9%)	69.6	198^th of 686 public elementary schools	71.1%		71.6	181^st of 680 public elementary schools	73.4%	17	47.2	37.1			69.4	80.6	72.2			$10,697	$1,630	$9,043
Westwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	11629 Westwood School Rd	Coker	35452	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 342-2666	299	22	13.7	38.8%	246 (82.3%)	17 (5.7%)	27 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.0%)	83.8	95^th of 686 public elementary schools	86.2%		84.2	92^nd of 680 public elementary schools	86.5%	3	68.0	46.7			81.7	87.8	75.0			$10,141	$1,962	$8,155
Flatwoods Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	3800 66th Ave	Northport	35473	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 342-2648	459	32	14.3	68.6%	90 (19.6%)	198 (43.1%)	153 (33.3%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.4%)	25.4	518^th of 686 public elementary schools	24.5%		28.6	485^th of 680 public elementary schools	28.7%	33	32.8	23.2			30.0	60.9	34.3			$9,480	$1,998	$7,458
Northport Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	13695 Frankie Thomas Trace	Northport	35475	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	No	(205) 342-2862	558	38	14.6	31.2%	436 (78.1%)	46 (8.2%)	58 (10.4%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.3%)								(n/a)										$8,699	$909	$7,766
Crestmont Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	2400 34th Ave	Northport	35476	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 342-2695	268	20	13.4	74.6%	32 (11.9%)	141 (52.6%)	85 (31.7%)	1 (0.4%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.2%)	12.7	618^th of 686 public elementary schools	9.9%		19.1	550^th of 680 public elementary schools	19.1%	68	18.5	22.4			22.4	38.5	34.5			$10,253	$2,088	$8,140
Huntington Place Elementary School	Public	3-4	11601 Huntington Pl	Northport	35475	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	No	(205) 342-2652	377	21	18.1	33.2%	288 (76.4%)	40 (10.6%)	39 (10.3%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.9%)	77.5	135^th of 686 public elementary schools	80.3%		72.2	172^nd of 680 public elementary schools	74.7%	37	57.8	57.8			60.3	76.2	75.4			$7,650	$801	$6,826
Oakdale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5001 25th Street	Tuscaloosa	35401	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 759-3626	292	22	13.4	80.5%	3 (1.0%)	264 (90.4%)	16 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.4%)	28.3	497^th of 686 public elementary schools	27.6%		18.1	559^th of 680 public elementary schools	17.8%	62	42.5	21.1	20.9		10.5	72.5	42.1	48.8		$12,270	$2,250	$10,000
Gordo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	535 4th St NW	Gordo	35466	Pickens County	Pickens County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 364-8480	545	30	18.3	59.1%	320 (58.7%)	143 (26.2%)	56 (10.3%)	7 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.3%)	63.4	248^th of 686 public elementary schools	63.8%		71.6	180^th of 680 public elementary schools	73.5%	68	41.7	42.0	21.3	43.6	61.4	79.8	67.1	82.7	62.8	$7,903	$684	$7,176
FaucettVestavia Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1150 Vestavia Circle	Northport	35473	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	No	(205) 342-2646	343	23	14.9	46.9%	194 (56.6%)	100 (29.2%)	18 (5.2%)	17 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.1%)	84.4	94^th of 686 public elementary schools	86.3%		71.8	179^th of 680 public elementary schools	73.7%	85	61.4	58.0			68.0	81.5	86.0			$8,445	$948	$7,473
Matthews Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1225 Rice Mine Road	Northport	35476	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 342-2654	401	26	15.2	86.8%	25 (6.2%)	231 (57.6%)	139 (34.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	12.8	615^th of 686 public elementary schools	10.3%		13.5	604^th of 680 public elementary schools	11.2%	11	14.7	24.0			21.3	32.4	40.0			$9,484	$2,129	$7,332

Frequently Asked Questions about Buhl Elementary School

Is Buhl Elementary School a good school?

Buhl Elementary School ranks 198^th of 686 Alabama elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Buhl Elementary School in?

Tuscaloosa County

What schools do graduates of Buhl Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Buhl Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Sipsey Valley Middle School
High : Sipsey Valley High School

What is the racial makeup of Buhl Elementary School?

Students at Buhl Elementary School are 76% White, 18% Hispanic, 3% African American, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Buhl Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 206 students attended Buhl Elementary School.

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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.