Is Helena High School a good school?

Yes. Helena High School ranks in the top 8.5% of Alabama high schools.

How many students attend Helena High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,419 students attended Helena High School.

What is the racial makeup of Helena High School?

Students at Helena High School are 71% White, 15% African American, 9% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What schools feed into Helena High School?

Helena High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Helena Elementary School Elementary : Helena Intermediate School Middle : Helena Middle

Helena High School

Summary:

Helena High School is a public high school serving 1,418 students in grades 9-12 in Helena, Alabama, which is part of the highly-ranked Shelby County School District. This school consistently performs among the top high schools in the state, with a ranking between 14 and 38 out of over 350 high schools in Alabama over the past 10 years and a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of this period.

Helena High School students excel academically, consistently outperforming the state and county averages in standardized test scores, particularly in science and mathematics. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 55.32% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in the Summative Assessment/Science, compared to 50.7% in Shelby County and 34.76% statewide. The school also has a diverse student population, with a significant minority representation, and a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to nearby schools like Bessemer City High School and McAdory High School.

While Helena High School is a high-performing school, there are a few areas where it could potentially improve, such as the performance of Native American and military-connected students, which lags slightly behind other subgroups. Additionally, the school's performance in mathematics, while still strong, is slightly behind its performance in science and English. Overall, Helena High School is a standout institution in the region, delivering excellent educational outcomes for its diverse student population.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1310 Hillsboro Parkway
Helena, AL 35080

(205) 682-3650

District: Shelby County

SchoolDigger Rank:
32^nd of 378 Alabama High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,579

Feeder schools for Helena High School:

Elementary:	Helena Elementary School
	Helena Intermediate School
Middle:	Helena Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 18.1

Number of students: 1,419

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.4%

African American:

15.4%

Hispanic:

9.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 28.6%

See top rated Alabama high schools

Compare Helena High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Helena High School ranks better than 91.5% of high schools in Alabama. It also ranks 3^rd among 7 ranked high schools in the Shelby County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 90.97. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Helena High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (71.4%), African American (15.4%), Hispanic (9.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 28.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Helena High School is 18.1. 5 high schools in the Shelby County School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Helena High School employs 78 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Helena High School is $8,579. 6 high schools in the Shelby County School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Helena High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Helena High School 32^nd of 378 Alabama public high schools. (See Helena High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Military Connected students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Shelby County:

SchoolDigger ranks Shelby County 31^st of 137 Alabama school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Helena High School

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Rank History for all students at Helena High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AL State Percentile
2015	94.26	18^th	353	94.9%
2016	95.99	14^th	351	96.0%
2017	94.21	19^th	353	94.6%
2018	96.84	15^th	356	95.8%
2019	93.26	24^th	366	93.4%
2021	90.36	35^th	371	90.6%
2022	89.23	38^th	367	89.6%
2023	90.22	37^th	371	90.0%
2024	90.97	32^nd	378	91.5%

See the entire list of Alabama High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Helena High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	65.39	21^st	56	62.5%

See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Helena High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	63.54	18^th	83	78.3%
2018	89.07	14^th	160	91.3%
2019	56.95	56^th	171	67.3%
2021	68.42	44^th	196	77.6%
2022	81.25	21^st	169	87.6%
2023	77.71	24^th	182	86.8%
2024	92.08	8^th	198	96.0%

See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Helena High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	75.25	46^th	315	85.4%
2018	93.72	13^th	349	96.3%
2019	64.87	111^th	358	69.0%
2021	95.95	10^th	361	97.2%
2022	72.54	63^rd	361	82.5%
2023	75.34	68^th	349	80.5%
2024	85.78	31^st	375	91.7%

See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Helena High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	94.46	18^th	343	94.8%
2018	96.18	13^th	347	96.3%
2019	91.46	28^th	354	92.1%
2021	88.10	38^th	359	89.4%
2022	83.10	47^th	367	87.2%
2023	88.11	38^th	358	89.4%
2024	90.44	32^nd	366	91.3%

See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Helena High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AL State Percentile
2018	80.61	3^rd	18	83.3%
2019	85.99	1^st	14	92.9%
2021	69.78	6^th	25	76.0%
2022	70.90	7^th	26	73.1%
2023	51.64	16^th	27	40.7%
2024	43.58	15^th	24	37.5%

See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Helena High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	90.23	25^th	339	92.6%
2018	95.18	17^th	350	95.1%
2019	92.82	20^th	357	94.4%
2021	88.28	34^th	366	90.7%
2022	90.45	33^rd	366	91.0%
2023	88.97	37^th	358	89.7%
2024	88.48	33^rd	368	91.0%

See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Helena High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	80.67	23^rd	189	87.8%
2018	96.50	7^th	223	96.9%
2019	86.81	17^th	224	92.4%
2021	97.75	5^th	228	97.8%
2022	92.33	14^th	222	93.7%
2023	81.04	25^th	224	88.8%
2024	74.78	36^th	231	84.4%

See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Helena High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	86.19	12^th	93	87.1%
2018	97.41	2^nd	95	97.9%
2019	61.64	31^st	103	69.9%
2021	98.48	3^rd	113	97.3%
2022	67.11	30^th	114	73.7%
2023	74.13	26^th	122	78.7%
2024	50.53	59^th	139	57.6%

See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Helena High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	19.18	38^th	45	15.6%

See the entire list of Best Alabama High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Helena High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	85.09	29^th	230	87.4%
2018	92.78	23^rd	300	92.3%
2019	89.65	28^th	313	91.1%
2021	80.99	52^nd	319	83.7%
2022	80.42	53^rd	326	83.7%
2023	87.06	40^th	317	87.4%
2024	87.60	33^rd	325	89.8%

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.

Data source: Alabama State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Helena High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2012	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2015	810	142	13	49	7	0	14	1035
2016	903	154	15	55	8	2	15	1152
2017	954	163	22	54	6	3	14	1216
2018	997	169	31	59	5	3	17	1281
2019	1028	167	32	58	2	4	21	1312
2020	1044	162	35	74	3	3	27	1348
2021	1044	182	30	91	1	3	22	1373
2022	1041	200	24	101	2	0	29	1397
2023	1016	225	19	123	5	1	29	1418
2024	1013	219	20	129	4	1	33	1419

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 Helena High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	0	0.0	n/a	n/a
2015	1035	58.0	17.8	16.4
2016	1152	58.0	19.8	14.8
2017	1216	62.5	19.4	16.9
2018	1281	66.5	19.2	17.3
2019	1312	68.5	19.1	17.6
2020	1348	70.0	19.2	18.1
2021	1373	72.0	19.0	14.9
2022	1397	68.0	20.5	16
2023	1418	77.0	18.4	27.9
2024	1419	78.0	18.1	28.6

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 Helena High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	0	0.0	n/a	n/a
2015	1035	58.0	17.8	16.4
2016	1152	58.0	19.8	14.8
2017	1216	62.5	19.4	16.9
2018	1281	66.5	19.2	17.3
2019	1312	68.5	19.1	17.6
2020	1348	70.0	19.2	18.1
2021	1373	72.0	19.0	14.9
2022	1397	68.0	20.5	16
2023	1418	77.0	18.4	27.9
2024	1419	78.0	18.1	28.6

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 Helena High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$631 (7.4%)	$7,932 (92.5%)	$8,579

Data source: Alabama Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Helena 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 24^th of 366 High schools	Ranks 37^th of 371 High schools	3.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Mathematics (Helena High School)	61.7	33.9	27.8%
End of Course Mathematics (Shelby County)	55.4	35.1	20.3%
End of Course Mathematics (Alabama)	42.5	23.6	19%
End of Course Science (Helena High School)	63.3	46.8	16.5%
End of Course Science (Shelby County)	53.3	42.9	10.4%
End of Course Science (Alabama)	42.6	31.7	10.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1312	1418	8.1%
African American	167	225	34.7%
American Indian	2	5	150%
Asian	32	19	40.6%
Hispanic	58	123	112.1%
Pacific Islander	4	1	75%
White	1028	1016	1.2%
Two or More Races	21	29	38.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	17.6%	27.9%	10.2%

Schools Near Helena High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Summative Assessment Mathematics (2024)	Summative Assessment Science (2024)	Summative Assessment English (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Summative Assessment Mathematics 11th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 11th Grade	Summative Assessment English 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Helena High School	Public	9-12	1310 Hillsboro Parkway	Helena	35080	Shelby County	Shelby County	No	No	No	No	(205) 682-3650	1,419	78	18.1	28.6%	1,013 (71.4%)	219 (15.4%)	129 (9.1%)	20 (1.4%)	4 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	33 (2.3%)	91	32^nd of 378 public high schools	91.5%		90.2	37^th of 371 public high schools	90.0%	5	40.4	55.3	36.7	$8,579	$631	$7,932
Pelham High School	Public	9-12	2500 Panther Cir	Pelham	35124	Shelby County	Pelham City	No	No	No	No	(205) 624-3701	1,100	70	15.7	48.7%	488 (44.4%)	211 (19.2%)	322 (29.3%)	34 (3.1%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	41 (3.7%)	78.2	62^nd of 378 public high schools	83.6%		85.7	49^th of 371 public high schools	86.8%	13	31.4	42.1	31.4	$11,406	$899	$10,506
Thompson High School	Public	9-12	1921 Warrior Parkway	Alabaster	35007	Shelby County	Alabaster City	No	No	No	No	(205) 685-6700	2,132	128	16.6	50.3%	1,059 (49.7%)	531 (24.9%)	472 (22.1%)	29 (1.4%)	14 (0.7%)	2 (0.1%)	25 (1.2%)	80.2	56^th of 378 public high schools	85.2%		76.9	71^st of 371 public high schools	80.9%	15	29.0	51.0	30.6	$12,268	$891	$11,363
Crossroads School	Public	6-12	1085 Buccaneer Drive	Hoover	35244	Jefferson County	Hoover City	No	No	No	No	(205) 439-1800	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Hoover High School	Public	9-12	1000 Buccaneer Drive	Hoover	35244	Jefferson County	Hoover City	No	No	No	No	(205) 439-1200	2,884	182	15.8	31.6%	1,475 (51.1%)	786 (27.3%)	312 (10.8%)	194 (6.7%)	1 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	114 (4.0%)	97	13^th of 378 public high schools	96.6%		96.6	16^th of 371 public high schools	95.7%	3	50.1	58.8	46.5	$11,758	$943	$10,814
Riverchase Career Connection Center	Public	10-12	853 Willow Oak Drive	Hoover	35244	Jefferson County	Hoover City	No	No	No	No	(205) 439-1900	0	21	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
McAdory High School	Public	9-12	4800 McAdory School Rd	Mc Calla	35111	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	No	(205) 379-4700	1,240	65	19.0	73.4%	204 (16.5%)	786 (63.4%)	237 (19.1%)	5 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (0.6%)	18.3	310^th of 378 public high schools	18.0%		25.2	284^th of 371 public high schools	23.5%	26	6.0	16.2	8.7	$8,839	$665	$8,156
Bessemer City High School	Public	9-12	4950 Premiere Parkway	Bessemer	35022	Jefferson County	Bessemer City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 432-3700	805	34	23.6	60.7%	11 (1.4%)	632 (78.5%)	156 (19.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.7%)	16.8	318^th of 378 public high schools	15.9%		12.6	342^nd of 371 public high schools	7.8%	24	3.2	16.1	9.1	$9,771	$1,979	$7,776
Bessemer Center For Technology	Public	9-12	4940 Premiere Parkway	Bessemer	35022	Jefferson County	Bessemer City	No	No	No	No	(205) 432-3805	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Oak Mountain High School	Public	9-12	5476 Caldwell Mill Rd	Birmingham	35242	Shelby County	Shelby County	No	No	No	No	(205) 682-5200	1,652	88	18.8	24.0%	1,236 (74.8%)	166 (10.0%)	152 (9.2%)	69 (4.2%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.2%)	24 (1.5%)	98.8	8^th of 378 public high schools	97.9%		97.4	13^th of 371 public high schools	96.5%	5	53.0	68.2	52.1	$9,326	$516	$8,795

Helena High School

Helena High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Shelby County:

What do you think?

Rank History for Helena High School

Rank History for all students at Helena High School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Helena High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Helena High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Helena High School

Rank History for Female students at Helena High School

Rank History for Military Connected students at Helena High School

Rank History for Male students at Helena High School

Rank History for African American students at Helena High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Helena High School

Rank History for Native American students at Helena High School

Rank History for White students at Helena High School

Enrollment information for Helena High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Helena High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Helena High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Helena High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Helena High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Helena High School

Frequently Asked Questions about Helena High School

Rate Helena High School!

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