Bessemer City High School

Summary:

Bessemer City High School is a public high school in Bessemer, Alabama, serving around 850 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Jefferson County school district, which is ranked 129 out of 137 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Bessemer City High School faces significant academic challenges, with only 3-9% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in Math, Science, and English over the past 3 years, significantly lower than the state averages of 23-35% proficiency. The school has a predominantly African American student population (80-83%) and a high percentage of low-income students (around 60% receiving free or reduced-price lunch). While the school's performance is particularly concerning for African American and Hispanic students, who rank in the bottom 25-30% of Alabama high schools, English Language Learners and Special Education students perform better, ranking in the top 40-50%.

Comparing Bessemer City High School to nearby schools, such as Pleasant Grove High School, Wenonah High School, and Hoover High School, highlights the significant disparities in academic performance. These schools have higher proficiency rates, better subgroup performance, and higher overall rankings within the state. While Bessemer City High School's funding and resources are on par with nearby schools, the academic outcomes suggest that more targeted interventions and support may be needed to improve student achievement and provide a more equitable learning environment for all students.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 4950 Premiere Parkway
       Bessemer, AL  35022


(205) 432-3700

District: Bessemer City

SchoolDigger Rank:
318th of 378 Alabama High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,771 Help


Feeder schools for Bessemer City High School:

Elementary:    Abrams Elementary School
    Charles F Hard Elementary School
    Greenwood Elementary School
    Jonesboro Elementary School
    More...
Middle:    Bessemer City Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  23.6 Help
Number of students:  805

Racial breakdown:

African American:
78.5%
Hispanic:
19.4%
White:
1.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  60.7% Help


 See top rated Alabama high schools

 Compare Bessemer City High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Bessemer City High School ranks worse than 84.1% of high schools in Alabama. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.84. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Bessemer City High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (78.5%), Hispanic (19.4%), White (1.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 60.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bessemer City High School is 23.6. (See more...)
Help
Compare Bessemer City High School employs 34 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bessemer City High School is $9,771.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Bessemer City High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Bessemer City High School 318th of 378 Alabama public high schools. (See Bessemer City High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Bessemer City:

SchoolDigger ranks Bessemer City 129th of 137 Alabama school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Bessemer City High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Bessemer City High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 33.59 282nd 357 21.0%
2005 25.64 314th 359 12.5%
2006 36.09 288th 357 19.3%
2007 44.60 225th 358 37.2%
2008 37.53 270th 359 24.8%
2009 20.87 326th 357 8.7%
2010 17.11 334th 358 6.7%
2011 6.57 351st 360 2.5%
2012 1.72 356th 358 0.6%
2013 18.94 342nd 358 4.5%
2014 8.42 347th 358 3.1%
2015 5.50 347th 353 1.7%
2016 7.86 334th 351 4.8%
2017 5.98 349th 353 1.1%
2018 4.91 344th 356 3.4%
2019 4.82 357th 366 2.5%
2021 14.93 320th 371 13.7%
2022 12.72 333rd 367 9.3%
2023 12.57 342nd 371 7.8%
2024 16.84 318th 378 15.9%
See the entire list of Alabama High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Bessemer City High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 11.37 42nd 43 2.3%
2023 14.84 40th 45 11.1%
2024 4.78 56th 56 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Bessemer City High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 39.45 15th 29 48.3%
2021 40.64 12th 28 57.1%
2022 33.30 16th 39 59.0%
2023 28.08 23rd 43 46.5%
2024 34.43 41st 63 34.9%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Bessemer City High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.96 130th 160 18.8%
2019 37.67 103rd 171 39.8%
2021 71.78 36th 196 81.6%
2022 72.39 34th 169 79.9%
2023 25.18 147th 182 19.2%
2024 53.35 74th 198 62.6%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bessemer City High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 9.45 328th 349 6.0%
2019 7.15 344th 358 3.9%
2021 23.47 287th 361 20.5%
2022 12.98 335th 361 7.2%
2023 16.64 313th 349 10.3%
2024 25.54 288th 375 23.2%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Bessemer City High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 7.35 332nd 343 3.2%
2018 4.25 341st 347 1.7%
2019 3.89 347th 354 2.0%
2021 17.98 297th 359 17.3%
2022 16.88 317th 367 13.6%
2023 12.31 332nd 358 7.3%
2024 13.37 331st 366 9.6%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Bessemer City High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 7.16 328th 350 6.3%
2019 6.62 344th 357 3.6%
2021 13.22 329th 366 10.1%
2022 10.13 351st 366 4.1%
2023 13.31 335th 358 6.4%
2024 21.84 283rd 368 23.1%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Bessemer City High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 18.37 175th 189 7.4%
2018 17.81 206th 223 7.6%
2019 15.22 210th 224 6.3%
2021 37.31 139th 228 39.0%
2022 31.06 157th 222 29.3%
2023 25.48 182nd 224 18.8%
2024 38.42 125th 231 45.9%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Bessemer City High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 17.17 82nd 93 11.8%
2018 47.69 48th 95 49.5%
2019 17.50 90th 103 12.6%
2021 17.96 99th 113 12.4%
2022 29.00 81st 114 28.9%
2023 29.64 83rd 122 32.0%
2024 14.03 132nd 139 5.0%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Bessemer City High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 5.52 300th 313 4.2%
2021 11.61 302nd 319 5.3%
2022 6.37 321st 326 1.5%
2023 4.54 316th 317 0.3%
2024 18.92 285th 325 12.3%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Alabama State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Bessemer City High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Alabama State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Bessemer City High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 1286 1286
1989 247 1062 0 1 1 n/a n/a 0 1311
1990 186 1193 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 1383
1991 135 1097 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 1234
1992 127 1128 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 1255
1993 102 1220 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 1322
1994 78 1218 0 0 0 n/a n/a -25 1271
1995 23 1262 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 1286
1996 23 1262 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 1286
1997 62 1513 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 1577
1998 26 1199 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 1226
1999 33 1203 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 1237
2000 31 1255 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 1289
2001 21 1109 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 1131
2002 14 1024 0 6 0 n/a n/a 0 1044
2003 14 1024 0 6 0 n/a n/a 0 1044
2004 11 1035 0 7 0 n/a n/a 0 1053
2005 11 1012 1 7 0 n/a n/a 0 1031
2006 13 1021 0 5 0 n/a n/a 0 1039
2007 14 1028 2 10 0 n/a n/a 0 1054
2008 13 1038 0 14 0 n/a n/a 0 1065
2009 12 1067 1 23 1 n/a n/a 0 1104
2010 15 1137 1 30 0 n/a n/a 1 1184
2011 18 1123 0 49 0 0 0 0 1190
2012 17 1102 0 47 0 0 0 0 1166
2013 15 960 0 42 0 0 0 0 1017
2014 19 931 1 44 0 0 1 0 996
2015 24 944 2 43 0 0 2 0 1015
2016 24 902 1 48 1 0 3 0 979
2017 24 912 1 56 1 0 1 0 995
2018 22 863 0 62 1 0 1 0 949
2019 27 854 0 98 1 1 9 0 990
2020 20 766 0 114 0 0 9 0 909
2021 25 676 0 101 0 0 14 0 816
2022 23 684 0 125 0 0 19 0 851
2023 9 688 0 131 1 0 21 0 850
2024 11 632 0 156 0 0 6 0 805

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bessemer City High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1286 60.0 21.4 0
1989 1311 72.0 18.2 n/a
1990 1383 71.0 19.4 0
1991 1234 71.0 17.3 n/a
1992 1255 65.0 19.3 n/a
1993 1322 64.0 20.7 n/a
1994 1271 69.0 18.4 n/a
1995 1286 67.7 19.0 n/a
1996 1286 67.7 19.0 n/a
1997 1577 63.6 24.8 39.8
1998 1226 66.7 18.4 39.3
1999 1237 67.3 18.4 33.5
2000 1289 58.8 21.9 42.4
2001 1131 65.0 17.4 54.9
2002 1044 54.0 19.3 63.5
2003 1044 54.0 19.3 63.5
2004 1053 51.3 20.5 72.3
2005 1031 62.0 16.6 96.2
2006 1039 58.0 17.9 75.3
2007 1054 55.0 19.2 73.7
2008 1065 61.3 17.4 76
2009 1104 56.8 19.3 75.5
2010 1184 49.0 24.1 74.5
2011 1190 61.3 19.4 76.9
2012 1166 56.3 20.7 83.9
2013 1017 51.0 19.9 83
2014 996 45.0 22.1 82.9
2015 1015 51.0 19.9 79.9
2016 979 42.0 23.3 60.8
2017 995 40.0 24.8 61.7
2018 949 42.0 22.5 60.7
2019 990 44.0 22.5 60.7
2020 909 44.0 20.6 60.7
2021 816 37.0 22.0 60.7
2022 851 n/a n/a 60.8
2023 850 37.0 22.9 60.7
2024 805 34.0 23.6 60.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Bessemer City High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1286 60.0 21.4 0
1989 1311 72.0 18.2 n/a
1990 1383 71.0 19.4 0
1991 1234 71.0 17.3 n/a
1992 1255 65.0 19.3 n/a
1993 1322 64.0 20.7 n/a
1994 1271 69.0 18.4 n/a
1995 1286 67.7 19.0 n/a
1996 1286 67.7 19.0 n/a
1997 1577 63.6 24.8 39.8
1998 1226 66.7 18.4 39.3
1999 1237 67.3 18.4 33.5
2000 1289 58.8 21.9 42.4
2001 1131 65.0 17.4 54.9
2002 1044 54.0 19.3 63.5
2003 1044 54.0 19.3 63.5
2004 1053 51.3 20.5 72.3
2005 1031 62.0 16.6 96.2
2006 1039 58.0 17.9 75.3
2007 1054 55.0 19.2 73.7
2008 1065 61.3 17.4 76
2009 1104 56.8 19.3 75.5
2010 1184 49.0 24.1 74.5
2011 1190 61.3 19.4 76.9
2012 1166 56.3 20.7 83.9
2013 1017 51.0 19.9 83
2014 996 45.0 22.1 82.9
2015 1015 51.0 19.9 79.9
2016 979 42.0 23.3 60.8
2017 995 40.0 24.8 61.7
2018 949 42.0 22.5 60.7
2019 990 44.0 22.5 60.7
2020 909 44.0 20.6 60.7
2021 816 37.0 22.0 60.7
2022 851 n/a n/a 60.8
2023 850 37.0 22.9 60.7
2024 805 34.0 23.6 60.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bessemer City High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,979 (20.3%) $7,776 (79.6%) $9,771

Data source: Alabama Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bessemer City High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 357th of 366 High schoolsRanks 342nd of 371 High schools
 5.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Mathematics (Bessemer City High School)7.83.6
 4.1%
   End of Course Mathematics (Bessemer City)7.83.6
 4.1%
   End of Course Mathematics (Alabama)42.523.6
 19%
End of Course Science (Bessemer City High School)10.77.9
 2.8%
   End of Course Science (Bessemer City)10.77.9
 2.8%
   End of Course Science (Alabama)42.631.7
 10.9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students990850
 14.1%
African American854688
 19.4%
American Indian11
Asian00
Hispanic98131
 33.7%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White279
 66.7%
Two or More Races921
 133.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients60.7%60.7%
 0%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Bessemer City High School

Students at Bessemer City High School are 79% African American, 19% Hispanic, 1% White.

In the 2023-24 school year, 805 students attended Bessemer City High School.

Bessemer City High School ranks in the bottom 15.9% of Alabama high schools.


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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.





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