Shelby County Schools & Education
Shelby County, Alabama
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
59/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
95.6%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
95.6%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 90.7%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,510
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,270
School Score
59/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 40/100
State Score Position
#3
of 67 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Shelby County
Measured School Summary
Shelby County performs at an average level with a school score of 59/100 and a solid graduation rate of 95.6%.
Funding Context
At $6,510 per pupil, Shelby County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 46% above the Alabama average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 4.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 4% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Shelby 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
46 public schools and 3 districts 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
59/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #3 of 67 Alabama counties with school score data.
Completion
95.6%
4.9 pts above the state average
Funding context
$6,510
$240 above the state average
School coverage
46
3 districts 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
Shelby County has 46 public schools across 3 districts, 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.
What Shelby 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.
Dominant-district county
Shelby County carries most of the listed public-school system, with 31 of 46 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#3
of 67 Alabama counties with school score data. The county score is 19 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.
Shelby County
Elementary to high school visible
21,179 students
31 listed schools in this county slice.
Alabaster City
Elementary to high school visible
6,425 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
Pelham City
Elementary to high school visible
3,425 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Shelby County is the largest listed district slice, with 31 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 Shelby County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Shelby County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
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 Shelby 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.
A Robust Educational Network
Shelby County supports a massive infrastructure of 46 public schools serving 35,800 students. This extensive system includes 22 elementary, 10 middle, and 13 high schools spread across three distinct districts.
Shelby County and Alabaster City Lead
The Shelby County district is the largest with 21,179 students, followed by Alabaster City with 6,425 students and Pelham City with 3,425. No charter schools operate in these districts, focusing resources on traditional public institutions.
Large Suburban Campuses Define the Experience
The county features 22 suburban and 18 rural schools, with an average school size of 833 students. Thompson High School stands as the largest campus with 2,203 students, offering a large-scale, comprehensive high school environment.
School Overview
Total Schools
46
in Shelby County
Reported Enrollment
35,800
46 schools reporting
School Districts
3
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
46 Public Schools in Shelby County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 16 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 46 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thompson High School | Profile | Alabaster City | Alabaster, 35007Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,203 |
| Oak Mountain High School | Profile | Shelby County | Birmingham, 35242Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,561 |
| Spain Park High School | Profile | Hoover City | Hoover, 35242City: Small | 9–12 | High | 1,503 |
| Thompson Middle School | Profile | Alabaster City | Alabaster, 35007Suburb: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 1,434 |
| Helena High School | Profile | Shelby County | Helena, 35080Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,418 |
| Chelsea High School | Profile | Shelby County | Chelsea, 35043Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,400 |
| Oak Mountain Middle School | Profile | Shelby County | Birmingham, 35242Suburb: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 1,175 |
| Robert F Bumpus Middle School | Profile | Hoover City | Hoover, 35244Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 1,128 |
| Berry Middle School | Profile | Hoover City | Hoover, 35242City: Small | 6–8 | Middle | 1,113 |
| Pelham High School | Profile | Pelham City | Pelham, 35124Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,080 |
| Calera High | Profile | Shelby County | Calera, 35040Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,066 |
| Helena Middle | Profile | Shelby County | Helena, 35080Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 1,035 |
| Chelsea Middle School | Profile | Shelby County | Chelsea, 35043Suburb: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 951 |
| Creek View Elementary School | Profile | Alabaster City | Maylene, 35114Suburb: Large | PK–3 | Primary | 946 |
| Helena Intermediate School | Profile | Shelby County | Helena, 35080Suburb: Large | 3–5 | Primary | 945 |
| Meadow View Elementary School | Profile | Alabaster City | Alabaster, 35007Suburb: Large | PK–3 | Primary | 944 |
| Thompson Intermediate School | Record | Alabaster City | Alabaster, 35007Suburb: Large | 4–5 | Primary | 898 |
| Helena Elementary School | Record | Shelby County | Helena, 35080Suburb: Large | KG–2 | Primary | 868 |
| Chelsea Park Elementary School | Record | Shelby County | Chelsea, 35043Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 867 |
| Pelham Park Middle School | Record | Pelham City | Pelham, 35124Suburb: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 808 |
Thompson High School
Alabaster City
Alabaster, 35007 / Suburb: Large
Oak Mountain High School
Shelby County
Birmingham, 35242 / Suburb: Large
Spain Park High School
Hoover City
Hoover, 35242 / City: Small
Thompson Middle School
Alabaster City
Alabaster, 35007 / Suburb: Large
Helena High School
Shelby County
Helena, 35080 / Rural: Fringe
Chelsea High School
Shelby County
Chelsea, 35043 / Rural: Fringe
Oak Mountain Middle School
Shelby County
Birmingham, 35242 / Suburb: Large
Robert F Bumpus Middle School
Hoover City
Hoover, 35244 / Rural: Fringe
Berry Middle School
Hoover City
Hoover, 35242 / City: Small
Pelham High School
Pelham City
Pelham, 35124 / Suburb: Large
Calera High
Shelby County
Calera, 35040 / Rural: Fringe
Helena Middle
Shelby County
Helena, 35080 / Rural: Fringe
Chelsea Middle School
Shelby County
Chelsea, 35043 / Suburb: Large
Creek View Elementary School
Alabaster City
Maylene, 35114 / Suburb: Large
Helena Intermediate School
Shelby County
Helena, 35080 / Suburb: Large
Meadow View Elementary School
Alabaster City
Alabaster, 35007 / Suburb: Large
Thompson Intermediate School
Alabaster City
Alabaster, 35007 / Suburb: Large
Chelsea Park Elementary School
Shelby County
Chelsea, 35043 / Rural: Fringe
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,510
State avg $6,270
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Shelby County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Alabama counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Alabama?
How should I read the school score in Shelby County?
What is the graduation rate in Shelby County?
How much does Shelby County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Shelby County, Alabama — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Shelby County, Alabama?
Shelby County supports a massive infrastructure of 46 public schools serving 35,800 students. This extensive system includes 22 elementary, 10 middle, and 13 high schools spread across three distinct districts.
What are the major school districts in Shelby County, Alabama?
The Shelby County district is the largest with 21,179 students, followed by Alabaster City with 6,425 students and Pelham City with 3,425. No charter schools operate in these districts, focusing resources on traditional public institutions.
What is the school experience like in Shelby County?
The county features 22 suburban and 18 rural schools, with an average school size of 833 students. Thompson High School stands as the largest campus with 2,203 students, offering a large-scale, comprehensive high school environment.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.