High Schools in Pelham City

Pelham High School is the only high school in the Pelham City district, serving grades 9–12 with 381 students in a small, high-poverty community where 97% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

This school stands out for its strong graduation rate of 93.4%, which is more than 6 points above the state average, and its remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of 8.7%—less than half the state rate of 17.7%. The school also benefits from a favorable 11:1 student-teacher ratio and spends $15,527 per student, suggesting smaller class sizes and meaningful resource investment. However, academic performance on state Milestones tests lags behind state averages across all subjects. In 2025–2026, only 32.8% of students were proficient in Algebra I (compared to 48.1% statewide), 35.9% in Biology (state: 47.2%), and just 20% in U.S. History (state: 38.5%). The most concerning trend is a sharp 10-point drop in Algebra I proficiency from the prior year, which may signal a need for targeted math intervention. The school’s state ranking has also been volatile, improving to 264th in 2024–2025 before falling to 326th in 2025–2026, dropping its star rating from 2 to 1.

For parents, the picture is mixed: Pelham High School excels at keeping students engaged and graduating them, likely aided by strong attendance and small class sizes, yet those advantages have not translated into higher test scores. The extreme poverty level may be a factor, but the school’s high graduation rate shows resilience. U.S. History is a persistent weak spot, and the Algebra I decline deserves attention. English Language Arts scores will be released in December, which will provide a fuller picture of student achievement. Overall, this is a school that supports its students well in non-academic ways but faces clear challenges in meeting state academic benchmarks.