schoolsbycounty

Pickens County Schools & Education

School Score

58/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

97.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

97.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 90.7%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,207

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,270

School Score

58/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 40/100

State Score Position

#4

of 67 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Pickens County

Measured School Summary

Pickens County performs at an average level with a school score of 58/100 and a solid graduation rate of 97.0%.

Funding Context

At $6,207 per pupil, Pickens County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 44% above the Alabama average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 6.3 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Pickens County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

7 public schools and 1 district are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

58/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #4 of 67 Alabama counties with school score data.

Completion

97.0%

6.3 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,207

$63 below the state average

School coverage

7

1 district represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Pickens County has 7 public schools across 1 district, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Pickens County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Small-system county

Pickens County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.

State position

#4

of 67 Alabama counties with school score data. The county score is 18 points above the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Pickens County

Elementary and high visible

2,373 students

Elementary 3Middle 0High 4Other 0

7 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Pickens County is the largest listed district slice, with 7 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Pickens County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

Where do students transition after the visible grade band, and is that next school inside the same district path?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Pickens County, Alabama

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Efficient Schools in Pickens County

Pickens County manages 7 public schools serving 2,373 students within a single unified district. The infrastructure is streamlined into 3 elementary schools and 4 high schools to serve the rural population. This simple structure allows for focused administration across the entire county.

A Dedicated County District

The Pickens County district operates all 7 schools in the region, with no charter schools currently available. Gordo Elementary is the largest school in the system with 558 students, followed closely by Gordo High School. These local schools serve as the primary educational and social pillars for the county's residents.

Deeply Rooted Rural Campuses

Every school in Pickens County is classified as rural, reflecting the county’s quiet and spread-out nature. Schools are modestly sized, averaging 396 students, which allows for more personalized attention from teachers and staff. The high schools often serve grades 7-12 or 5-12, providing stability for students as they mature.

School Overview

Total Schools

7

in Pickens County

Reported Enrollment

2,373

7 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary3
Middle0
High4
Other0

1 School District in Pickens County

Pickens County

7 schools
2,373 students enrolled

7 Public Schools in Pickens County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 7 of 7 matching schools

Gordo Elementary School

Pickens County

Gordo, 35466 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary558 students

Gordo High School

Pickens County

Gordo, 35466 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High513 students

Aliceville Elementary School

Pickens County

Aliceville, 35442 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary453 students

Aliceville High School

Pickens County

Aliceville, 35442 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High347 students

Pickens County High School

Pickens County

Reform, 35481 / Rural: Distant

Record5–12High293 students

Reform Elementary School

Pickens County

Reform, 35481 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary209 students

Ladow Technical Center

Pickens County

Carrollton, 35447 / Rural: Remote

Record10–12Vocational0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,207

State avg $6,270

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Pickens County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Alabama counties have the highest graduation rates?
Cleburne County (97.0%), Henry County (97.0%), and Pickens County (97.0%) currently lead Alabama among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Alabama?
Across Alabama counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $6,270. The highest current county values are Lowndes County ($8,377), Macon County ($7,057), and Jefferson County ($6,920). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Pickens County?
Pickens County has a school score of 58/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Pickens County?
The high school graduation rate in Pickens County is 97.0%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Pickens County spend per student?
Pickens County spends $6,207 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Pickens County, Alabama — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Pickens County, Alabama?

Pickens County manages 7 public schools serving 2,373 students within a single unified district. The infrastructure is streamlined into 3 elementary schools and 4 high schools to serve the rural population. This simple structure allows for focused administration across the entire county.

What are the major school districts in Pickens County, Alabama?

The Pickens County district operates all 7 schools in the region, with no charter schools currently available. Gordo Elementary is the largest school in the system with 558 students, followed closely by Gordo High School. These local schools serve as the primary educational and social pillars for the county's residents.

What is the school experience like in Pickens County?

Every school in Pickens County is classified as rural, reflecting the county’s quiet and spread-out nature. Schools are modestly sized, averaging 396 students, which allows for more personalized attention from teachers and staff. The high schools often serve grades 7-12 or 5-12, providing stability for students as they mature.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.