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Sipsey Valley High School

Q: Is Sipsey Valley High School a good school?

Sipsey Valley High School ranks 136 th of 380 Alabama high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

136^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 380 Alabama High Schools

Better than 64% of Alabama high schools

Summary

Sipsey Valley High School is a public school in Buhl, Alabama, serving 524 students in grades 9-12 within the Tuscaloosa County school district.

Sipsey Valley is showing strong momentum. In the most recent school year, the school jumped 86 positions in statewide rankings—the largest single-year improvement among nearby schools—earning a 3-star rating. This rebound is driven by significant test score gains. English proficiency more than doubled to 31.25%, and science proficiency reached 40%, which beats both the district and state averages. In fact, Sipsey Valley outperforms Hillcrest High School in both science and English, despite Hillcrest having nearly three times the enrollment. The school also edges out Holt High School in every academic subject, with Holt's math proficiency at just 9.35% compared to Sipsey Valley's 21.74%. While Northridge High School remains the academic leader in the area, Sipsey Valley's recent gains suggest the gap is narrowing.

Beyond test scores, the school boasts a 93.8% graduation rate—the highest in its reported data and above both district and state averages. There are also notable improvements in serving students with special needs, with that subgroup jumping from the 11th to the 53rd percentile statewide. The school spends about $9,890 per student, which is less than some peers yet yields better outcomes, suggesting efficient resource use. One area to watch is chronic absenteeism at 14.6%, which is higher than the district average. However, this has improved significantly from 23% just two years ago. With declining economic disadvantage rates and a clear upward academic trajectory, Sipsey Valley is positioning itself as a solid choice for families in the western Tuscaloosa County area.

524

Students ?

17.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,890

Per pupil spending ?

41.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

15815 Romulus Rd
Buhl, AL 35446

(205) 342-2850

District: Tuscaloosa County

Feeder schools for Sipsey Valley High School:

Elementary:	Buhl Elementary School
	Crestmont Elementary School
	FaucettVestavia Elementary School
	Flatwoods Elementary School
	More...
	Huntington Place Elementary School
	Matthews Elementary School
	Myrtlewood Elementary School
	Northport Elementary School
	Westwood Elementary School
Middle:	CollinsRiverside Middle School
	Echols Middle School
	Sipsey Valley Middle School

Racial breakdown:

White:

69.1%

African American:

18.1%

Hispanic:

11.6%

See top rated Alabama high schools

Compare Sipsey Valley High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 41st percentile in 2025 → 64th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 64th (2026) from a 41st-percentile low (2025)

✓Above the Alabama median (64th percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school31%

District avg28%

Alabama avg32%

136^th of 380

Alabama public high schools ?

Top 36%▼ down 16 pts since 2016

From top 20% (2016) to top 36% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alabama High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 6High Schools in the Tuscaloosa County

87^th of 139Tuscaloosa 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	57.8	136 of 380	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	35.9	222 of 374	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	57.3	135 of 378	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.1	174 of 371	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	46.0	186 of 367	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	51.0	159 of 371	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	61.8	138 of 366	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.1	156 of 356	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2017	47.6	163 of 353	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2016	72.2	69 of 351	80.3%	★★★★☆
2015	35.5	239 of 353	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2014	52.9	159 of 358	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2013	56.2	176 of 358	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2012	60.1	147 of 358	58.9%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	45.2	110 of 234	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	51.8	73 of 228	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	72.3	39 of 231	83.1%	★★★★☆
2023	50.5	86 of 224	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	32.6	148 of 222	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	43.2	108 of 228	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	66.8	49 of 224	78.1%	★★★★☆
2018	61.5	57 of 223	74.4%	★★★★☆
2017	39.5	110 of 189	41.8%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	57.6	139 of 372	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	31.3	236 of 359	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	63.0	108 of 366	70.5%	★★★★☆
2023	58.3	133 of 358	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	43.2	200 of 367	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	61.1	120 of 359	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	47.1	199 of 354	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	45.8	197 of 347	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	45.8	162 of 343	52.8%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2025	11.4	137 of 142	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	37.1	78 of 139	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	21.1	93 of 114	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	6.5	94 of 95	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	49.4	170 of 377	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	34.2	234 of 367	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	50.6	157 of 375	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	45.5	171 of 349	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	56.8	126 of 361	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	40.9	205 of 361	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	68.9	97 of 358	72.9%	★★★★☆
2018	52.3	165 of 349	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	48.1	145 of 315	54.0%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	55.8	146 of 375	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	39.2	210 of 363	42.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	48.2	172 of 368	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	30.0	249 of 358	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	47.7	170 of 366	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	40.4	207 of 366	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	71.4	88 of 357	75.4%	★★★★☆
2018	63.0	123 of 350	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2017	47.8	161 of 339	52.5%	★★★☆☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2024	34.6	34 of 55	38.2%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	43.9	92 of 197	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	33.4	127 of 194	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	17.9	176 of 198	11.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	61.7	48 of 182	73.6%	★★★★☆
2022	94.6	7 of 169	95.9%	★★★★★
2021	56.2	67 of 196	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	70.1	32 of 171	81.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	55.6	125 of 316	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	29.0	228 of 325	29.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	51.2	129 of 325	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	38.7	172 of 317	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.2	164 of 326	49.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	48.2	142 of 319	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	49.8	144 of 313	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.4	109 of 300	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	43.6	114 of 230	50.4%	★★★☆☆

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)

Female (2026)63rd percentile~ school

Male (2026)61st percentile-3 vs school

White (2026)60th percentile-4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)55th percentile-9 vs school

Special Education (2026)53rd percentile-11 vs school

African American (2026)53rd percentile-11 vs school

Native American (2024)38th percentile-26 vs school

Hispanic (2025)4th percentile-37 vs school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

Science40%+4 vs state

English31%~ state avg

Mathematics22%-5 vs state

★

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Schools Near Sipsey Valley 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	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 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 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
Sipsey Valley High School	Public	9-12	15815 Romulus Rd	Buhl	35446	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	No	(205) 342-2850	524	30	17.4	41.6%	362 (69.1%)	95 (18.1%)	61 (11.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	57.8	136^th of 380 public high schools	64.2%		35.9	222^nd of 374 public high schools	40.6%	86			21.7		40.0			31.3	$9,890	$1,116	$8,750
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%)	22.7	297^th of 380 public high schools	21.8%		17	311^th of 374 public high schools	16.8%	14			9.6		23.5			13.7	$14,113	$2,234	$11,666
Tuscaloosa County High School	Public	9-12	12500 Wildcat Dr	Northport	35475	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	No	(205) 342-2670	1,607	90	17.8	47.2%	786 (48.9%)	462 (28.7%)	311 (19.4%)	25 (1.6%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	20 (1.2%)	52	169^th of 380 public high schools	55.5%		42.6	200^th of 374 public high schools	46.5%	31			19.0		36.9			29.8	$8,263	$719	$7,482
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%)	52.3	164^th of 380 public high schools	56.8%		34.5	229^th of 374 public high schools	38.8%	65			23.1		37.7			25.3	$8,119	$806	$7,290
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%)	90.9	30^th of 380 public high schools	92.1%		85.9	47^th of 374 public high schools	87.4%	17			46.6		56.2			46.0	$9,436	$579	$8,838
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)
Gordo High School	Public	7-12	630 4th St NW	Gordo	35466	Pickens County	Pickens County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 364-7353	473	22	21.8	53.3%	297 (62.8%)	112 (23.7%)	51 (10.8%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.7%)	40	227^th of 380 public high schools	40.3%		41.2	204^th of 374 public high schools	45.5%	23	22.1	10.5	18.8	48.8	26.1	57.4	58.1	26.1	$9,349	$1,650	$7,655
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%)	17.2	324^th of 380 public high schools	14.7%		17.6	309^th of 374 public high schools	17.4%	15			5.2		16.9			15.6	$10,298	$1,755	$8,519
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%)	17.4	321^st of 380 public high schools	15.5%		18.4	304^th of 374 public high schools	18.7%	17			9.4		15.9			12.8	$17,319	$5,702	$9,624

Frequently Asked Questions about Sipsey Valley High School

What district is Sipsey Valley High School in?

Tuscaloosa County

What schools feed into Sipsey Valley High School?

Is Sipsey Valley High School a good school?

Sipsey Valley High School ranks 136^th of 380 Alabama high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Sipsey Valley High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 524 students attended Sipsey Valley High School.

What is the racial makeup of Sipsey Valley High School?

Students at Sipsey Valley High School are 69% White, 18% African American, 12% Hispanic.

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Schools in Buhl, AL

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Latest Alabama data All new data »

2025–26 Summative Assessment scoresNewAug 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.