Public schools in Athens, AL
15 open public schools with an address in Athens, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
15
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
16,001
14 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
17.7:1
Alabama median 17.2:1
Charter schools
0
3 virtual
An overview of Athens public schools
The federal directory lists 15 public schools in Athens, AL: 7 elementary, 1 middle, 4 high, 3 combined or other. The 14 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 16,001 students, an average of 1,143 per school. The largest campus is Alabama Connections Academy (7,822 students), and the largest elementary school is Athens Intermediate School (641).
Athens City operates the most schools here (9), and 2 regular districts have at least one Athens campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 17.7:1, similar to the statewide school median of 17.2:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 3 virtual schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 5 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 5 of 5 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 56% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Athens
Elementary schools in Athens
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens Elementary School Athens City | PK–03 | 474 | 16.6:1 | |
| Athens Intermediate School Athens City | 04–05 | 641 | 17.8:1 | |
| Blue Springs Elementary School Limestone County | PK–05 | 558 | 16.4:1 | |
| Brookhill Elementary School Athens City | PK–03 | 380 | 17.7:1 | |
| James L Cowart Elementary School Athens City | PK–03 | 332 | 16.6:1 | |
| Johnson Elementary School Limestone County | PK–05 | 475 | 17.5:1 | |
| Julian Newman Elementary School Athens City | PK–03 | 409 | 17.8:1 |
Middle schools in Athens
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens Middle School Athens City | 06–08 | 935 | 19.5:1 |
High schools in Athens
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens High School Athens City | 09–12 | 1,278 | 17:1 | |
| Clements High School Limestone County | 06–12 | 525 | 16.7:1 | |
| East Limestone High School Limestone County | 06–12 | 1,216 | 19.2:1 | |
| Limestone County Area Vocational Technology Limestone County · Career and Technical School | 10–12 | — | — |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Athens
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Connections Academy Limestone County · Virtual | KG–12 | 7,822 | — | |
| Athens Renaissance School Athens City · Virtual | KG–12 | 606 | 28.1:1 | |
| Renaissance Virtual School Athens City · Virtual | 04–12 | 350 | 43.8:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White59.6%
- Hispanic12.7%
- Black20.6%
- Asian1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.8%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial5.2%
Enrollment-weighted across 14 Athens schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (16,001 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Athens
How many public schools are in Athens, AL?
The current NCES directory lists 15 open public schools with a location address in Athens: 7 elementary, 1 middle, 4 high, 3 combined or other. Together they reported 16,001 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Athens?
Schools with an address in Athens belong to 2 education agencies, led by Athens City (9 schools), Limestone County (6 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Athens?
Athens High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Athens, with 1,278 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Athens?
No school with an address in Athens is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Alabama.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Athens schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Athens public schools is 17.7:1, similar to the Alabama school median of 17.2:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Athens guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Alabama cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Alabama cities