Public schools in Bessemer, AL
17 open public schools with an address in Bessemer, operated by 5 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
17
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
6,090
14 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
18.5:1
Alabama median 17.2:1
Charter schools
3
0 virtual
An overview of Bessemer public schools
The federal directory lists 17 public schools in Bessemer, AL: 9 elementary, 2 middle, 5 high, 1 combined or other. The 14 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 6,090 students, an average of 435 per school. The largest campus is Oak Grove High School (777 students), and the largest elementary school is McCalla Elementary School (752).
Bessemer City operates the most schools here (9), and 2 regular districts have at least one Bessemer campus, plus 3 charter, service, or other agencies. 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 18.5:1, higher than 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 charter schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 2 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 2 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 65% 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 Bessemer
Bessemer City
Public school district
9 schools in Bessemer
Jefferson County
Public school district
4 schools in Bessemer · 57 total
Empower Schools of Alabama
Independent charter agency
2 schools in Bessemer
Alabama Aerospace and Aviation
Independent charter agency
1 school in Bessemer
JF Ingram State Technical College
State operated agency
1 school in Bessemer · 8 total
Elementary schools in Bessemer
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abrams Elementary School Bessemer City | PK–05 | 231 | 16.5:1 | |
| Charles F Hard Elementary School Bessemer City | PK–05 | 364 | 19.2:1 | |
| Concord Elementary School Jefferson County | KG–05 | 400 | 17.6:1 | |
| Empower Community SchoolLower School Empower Schools of Alabama · Charter | KG–03 | 201 | — | |
| Greenwood Elementary School Bessemer City | PK–05 | 290 | 22.3:1 | |
| Jonesboro Elementary School Bessemer City | PK–05 | 474 | 16.9:1 | |
| McCalla Elementary School Jefferson County | PK–05 | 752 | 18.5:1 | |
| Oak Grove Elementary School Jefferson County | PK–05 | 576 | 16.6:1 | |
| Westhills Elementary School Bessemer City | PK–05 | 277 | 17.3:1 |
Middle schools in Bessemer
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bessemer City Middle School Bessemer City | 06–08 | 616 | 20.5:1 | |
| Empower Community School Upper Campus Empower Schools of Alabama · Charter | 04–08 | 211 | — |
High schools in Bessemer
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School Alabama Aerospace and Aviation · Charter | 09–12 | 161 | 20.1:1 | |
| Bessemer Center For Technology Bessemer City · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | — | — | |
| Bessemer City High School Bessemer City | 09–12 | 760 | 21.7:1 | |
| New Horizon Alternative School Bessemer City · Alternative School | 07–12 | — | — | |
| Oak Grove High School Jefferson County | 06–12 | 777 | 18.5:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Bessemer
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W E Donaldson JF Ingram State Technical College · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White28%
- Hispanic16.4%
- Black53.1%
- Asian0.1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial2.2%
Enrollment-weighted across 14 Bessemer schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (6,090 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Bessemer
How many public schools are in Bessemer, AL?
The current NCES directory lists 17 open public schools with a location address in Bessemer: 9 elementary, 2 middle, 5 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 6,090 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Bessemer?
Schools with an address in Bessemer belong to 5 education agencies, led by Bessemer City (9 schools), Jefferson County (4 schools), Empower Schools of Alabama (2 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Bessemer?
Oak Grove High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Bessemer, with 777 students in 2024–25 (grades 06–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Bessemer?
Yes. 3 of the 17 public schools in Bessemer are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School, Empower Community School Upper Campus, Empower Community SchoolLower School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Bessemer schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Bessemer public schools is 18.5:1, higher than 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 Bessemer 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