Virgil Grissom High School

Summary:

Virgil Grissom High School is a public high school in Huntsville, Alabama, serving 1,974 students in grades 9-12. Despite being part of the Huntsville City School District, which is ranked 83 out of 137 districts in the state, Virgil Grissom High School consistently outperforms its peers, ranking 41st out of 378 high schools in Alabama and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Virgil Grissom High School's academic performance is particularly impressive, with students outperforming the Huntsville City and Alabama state averages on standardized tests. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 45.03% of Virgil Grissom students were proficient or better in Science, compared to 38.96% for Huntsville City and 34.76% for the state. The school's strong performance extends across various student subgroups, including female students (ranked 42nd out of 366) and students with special needs (ranked 17th out of 198). However, the school's performance for English Language Learners and Native American students is relatively lower.

While Virgil Grissom High School outperforms other high schools in the Huntsville City School District, such as Jemison High School, Columbia High School, and Lee High School, it is still outperformed by the high-performing Bob Jones High School, which is in the neighboring Madison City School District. This suggests that factors beyond just the school district, such as the specific school's resources, leadership, and instructional practices, play a significant role in academic achievement.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1001 Haysland Road
       Huntsville, AL  35802


(256) 428-8000

District: Huntsville City

SchoolDigger Rank:
41st of 378 Alabama High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,893 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  20.9 Help
Number of students:  1,974

Racial breakdown:

White:
57.0%
Hispanic:
17.5%
African American:
15.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  43% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Virgil Grissom High School ranks better than 89.2% of high schools in Alabama. It also ranks 3rd among 6 ranked high schools in the Huntsville City School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 86.56. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Virgil Grissom High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Virgil Grissom High School has the largest high school student body size in the Huntsville City School District. Student population at Virgil Grissom High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (57%), Hispanic (17.5%), African American (15.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 43% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Virgil Grissom High School is 20.9, which is the highest among 6 high schools in the Huntsville City School District! (See more...)
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Compare Virgil Grissom High School employs 94 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Virgil Grissom High School is $7,893. 3 high schools in the Huntsville City School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Virgil Grissom High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Virgil Grissom High School 41st of 378 Alabama public high schools. (See Virgil Grissom 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:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
Native American students:
White students:


Huntsville City:

SchoolDigger ranks Huntsville City 83rd of 137 Alabama school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Virgil Grissom High School?

Rank History for Virgil Grissom High School

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Rank History for all students at Virgil Grissom High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 87.73 10th 357 97.2%
2005 89.40 8th 359 97.8%
2006 88.53 10th 357 97.2%
2007 90.26 9th 358 97.5%
2008 90.73 5th 359 98.6%
2009 88.07 11th 357 96.9%
2010 87.38 9th 358 97.5%
2011 83.91 15th 360 95.8%
2012 86.06 11th 358 96.9%
2013 76.27 14th 358 96.1%
2014 95.70 15th 358 95.8%
2015 96.55 13th 353 96.3%
2016 74.85 61st 351 82.6%
2017 84.45 42nd 353 88.1%
2018 88.03 33rd 356 90.7%
2019 88.32 36th 366 90.2%
2021 87.51 40th 371 89.2%
2022 88.58 40th 367 89.1%
2023 79.87 60th 371 83.8%
2024 86.56 41st 378 89.2%
See the entire list of Alabama High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Virgil Grissom High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 63.10 7th 19 63.2%
2018 72.49 6th 24 75.0%
2019 51.91 20th 37 45.9%
2021 55.52 17th 43 60.5%
2022 66.51 16th 40 60.0%
2023 48.65 19th 45 57.8%
2024 70.70 17th 56 69.6%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Virgil Grissom High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 75.39 5th 29 82.8%
2021 33.78 18th 28 35.7%
2022 32.94 37th 39 5.1%
2023 28.08 23rd 43 46.5%
2024 26.32 48th 63 23.8%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Virgil Grissom High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 45.65 39th 83 53.0%
2018 78.36 23rd 160 85.6%
2019 37.49 105th 171 38.6%
2021 85.73 16th 196 91.8%
2022 83.06 17th 169 89.9%
2023 65.67 44th 182 75.8%
2024 83.17 17th 198 91.4%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Virgil Grissom High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 54.50 114th 315 63.8%
2018 79.82 53rd 349 84.8%
2019 69.03 95th 358 73.5%
2021 68.58 82nd 361 77.3%
2022 40.15 210th 361 41.8%
2023 54.80 130th 349 62.8%
2024 71.22 76th 375 79.7%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Virgil Grissom High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 85.28 37th 343 89.2%
2018 84.78 45th 347 87.0%
2019 83.80 53rd 354 85.0%
2021 82.28 49th 359 86.4%
2022 85.13 42nd 367 88.6%
2023 78.46 66th 358 81.6%
2024 87.04 42nd 366 88.5%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Virgil Grissom High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.71 13th 18 27.8%
2019 71.75 5th 14 64.3%
2021 35.98 16th 25 36.0%
2022 32.71 17th 26 34.6%
2023 13.51 25th 27 7.4%
2024 42.62 16th 24 33.3%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Virgil Grissom High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 78.86 51st 339 85.0%
2018 87.77 38th 350 89.1%
2019 89.56 28th 357 92.2%
2021 88.77 32nd 366 91.3%
2022 88.60 36th 366 90.2%
2023 76.61 63rd 358 82.4%
2024 81.91 47th 368 87.2%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Virgil Grissom High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 60.41 8th 17 52.9%
2018 46.77 12th 18 33.3%
2019 54.73 8th 18 55.6%
2021 51.25 9th 18 50.0%
2022 65.90 8th 16 50.0%
2023 12.27 13th 15 13.3%
2024 59.66 8th 17 52.9%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Virgil Grissom High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 47.67 80th 189 57.7%
2018 61.13 59th 223 73.5%
2019 70.52 44th 224 80.4%
2021 56.98 63rd 228 72.4%
2022 58.06 55th 222 75.2%
2023 47.16 93rd 224 58.5%
2024 62.90 52nd 231 77.5%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Virgil Grissom High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 34.71 57th 93 38.7%
2018 62.29 30th 95 68.4%
2019 68.88 27th 103 73.8%
2021 46.60 53rd 113 53.1%
2022 31.97 75th 114 34.2%
2023 47.53 56th 122 54.1%
2024 57.13 49th 139 64.7%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Virgil Grissom High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 21.23 49th 55 10.9%
See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Virgil Grissom High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 82.13 33rd 230 85.7%
2018 89.47 34th 300 88.7%
2019 85.12 38th 313 87.9%
2021 84.55 42nd 319 86.8%
2022 84.29 38th 326 88.3%
2023 75.29 73rd 317 77.0%
2024 78.74 58th 325 82.2%
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.

Virgil Grissom 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 Virgil Grissom 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 2236 2236
1989 1990 20 109 14 5 n/a n/a 0 2138
1990 1862 20 123 19 4 n/a n/a 0 2028
1991 1799 30 146 22 6 n/a n/a 0 2003
1992 1836 41 153 24 9 n/a n/a -7 2056
1993 1886 46 172 26 10 n/a n/a 0 2140
1994 1906 44 181 28 14 n/a n/a 0 2173
1995 1853 55 188 31 12 n/a n/a 0 2139
1996 1853 55 188 31 12 n/a n/a 0 2139
1997 1852 63 175 41 24 n/a n/a 0 2155
1998 1870 76 174 43 26 n/a n/a 0 2189
1999 1840 83 161 34 24 n/a n/a 0 2142
2000 1756 80 136 35 20 n/a n/a 0 2027
2001 1680 74 132 31 12 n/a n/a 2 1931
2002 1669 72 121 33 11 n/a n/a 0 1906
2003 1669 72 121 33 11 n/a n/a 0 1906
2004 1662 74 133 30 14 n/a n/a 3 1916
2005 1659 82 137 24 12 n/a n/a 0 1914
2006 1725 90 134 32 9 n/a n/a 5 1995
2007 1726 103 137 38 13 n/a n/a 3 2020
2008 1676 107 124 48 12 n/a n/a 0 1967
2009 1670 143 128 59 11 n/a n/a 0 2011
2010 1646 175 126 67 12 n/a n/a 6 2032
2011 1621 178 96 74 14 0 3 0 1986
2012 1588 201 101 61 8 1 10 0 1970
2013 1459 193 87 61 10 2 13 0 1825
2014 1418 257 80 66 8 1 19 0 1849
2015 1275 237 75 99 10 3 43 0 1742
2016 1149 312 63 179 8 3 111 0 1825
2017 1112 339 71 205 8 2 83 0 1820
2018 1105 333 66 211 14 2 79 0 1810
2019 1079 320 74 223 10 3 94 0 1803
2020 1092 314 65 268 10 4 90 0 1843
2021 1125 303 64 287 10 3 110 0 1902
2022 1138 346 102 326 37 1 2 0 1952
2023 1125 298 54 345 6 3 143 0 1974

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 Virgil Grissom High School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2236 99.0 22.5 0
1989 2138 100.5 21.2 n/a
1990 2028 105.5 19.2 0
1991 2003 105.5 18.9 n/a
1992 2056 105.0 19.5 n/a
1993 2140 107.5 19.9 n/a
1994 2173 115.5 18.8 n/a
1995 2139 124.9 17.1 n/a
1996 2139 124.9 17.1 n/a
1997 2155 123.9 17.4 1.2
1998 2189 126.9 17.2 1.3
1999 2142 128.0 16.7 2.1
2000 2027 124.9 16.2 2.2
2001 1931 113.0 17.1 2.1
2002 1906 105.0 18.2 3.6
2003 1906 105.0 18.2 3.6
2004 1916 108.6 17.6 4.3
2005 1914 109.0 17.6 4.7
2006 1995 112.0 17.8 6.3
2007 2020 110.7 18.2 6.7
2008 1967 116.5 16.9 7.1
2009 2011 110.0 18.1 9.1
2010 2032 109.0 18.6 11.8
2011 1986 104.6 18.9 13.5
2012 1970 108.0 18.2 15.5
2013 1825 106.0 17.2 19.3
2014 1849 99.5 18.5 24.3
2015 1742 97.0 17.9 26.3
2016 1825 96.0 19.0 31.9
2017 1820 94.0 19.3 33.2
2018 1810 98.0 18.4 32.1
2019 1803 102.2 17.6 28.9
2020 1843 96.5 19.0 26.6
2021 1902 99.5 19.1 30.3
2022 1952 95.2 20.5 22.5
2023 1974 94.0 20.9 43

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 Virgil Grissom High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2236 99.0 22.5 0
1989 2138 100.5 21.2 n/a
1990 2028 105.5 19.2 0
1991 2003 105.5 18.9 n/a
1992 2056 105.0 19.5 n/a
1993 2140 107.5 19.9 n/a
1994 2173 115.5 18.8 n/a
1995 2139 124.9 17.1 n/a
1996 2139 124.9 17.1 n/a
1997 2155 123.9 17.4 1.2
1998 2189 126.9 17.2 1.3
1999 2142 128.0 16.7 2.1
2000 2027 124.9 16.2 2.2
2001 1931 113.0 17.1 2.1
2002 1906 105.0 18.2 3.6
2003 1906 105.0 18.2 3.6
2004 1916 108.6 17.6 4.3
2005 1914 109.0 17.6 4.7
2006 1995 112.0 17.8 6.3
2007 2020 110.7 18.2 6.7
2008 1967 116.5 16.9 7.1
2009 2011 110.0 18.1 9.1
2010 2032 109.0 18.6 11.8
2011 1986 104.6 18.9 13.5
2012 1970 108.0 18.2 15.5
2013 1825 106.0 17.2 19.3
2014 1849 99.5 18.5 24.3
2015 1742 97.0 17.9 26.3
2016 1825 96.0 19.0 31.9
2017 1820 94.0 19.3 33.2
2018 1810 98.0 18.4 32.1
2019 1803 102.2 17.6 28.9
2020 1843 96.5 19.0 26.6
2021 1902 99.5 19.1 30.3
2022 1952 95.2 20.5 22.5
2023 1974 94.0 20.9 43

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 Virgil Grissom High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $397 (5.0%) $7,494 (94.9%) $7,893

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Virgil Grissom 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 36th of 366 High schoolsRanks 60th of 371 High schools
 6.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Mathematics (Virgil Grissom High School)54.731.5
 23.2%
   End of Course Mathematics (Huntsville City)47.728.6
 19%
   End of Course Mathematics (Alabama)42.523.6
 19%
End of Course Science (Virgil Grissom High School)57.746.4
 11.3%
   End of Course Science (Huntsville City)49.839.7
 10.2%
   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 Students18031974
 9.5%
African American320298
 6.9%
American Indian106
 40%
Asian7454
 27%
Hispanic223345
 54.7%
Pacific Islander33
White10791125
 4.3%
Two or More Races94143
 52.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients28.9%43%
 14.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Virgil Grissom High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,974 students attended Virgil Grissom High School.

Students at Virgil Grissom High School are 57% White, 17% Hispanic, 15% African American, 7% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

Virgil Grissom High School ranks 41st of 378 Alabama high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


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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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