Public schools in Fort Payne, AL
7 open public schools with an address in Fort Payne, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
7
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
3,508
5 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15.8:1
Alabama median 17.2:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Fort Payne public schools
The federal directory lists 7 public schools in Fort Payne, AL: 2 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high, 1 combined or other. The 5 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 3,508 students, an average of 702 per school. The largest campus is Fort Payne High School (1,106 students), and the largest elementary school is Little Ridge Intermediate School (792).
Fort Payne City operates the most schools here (6), and 2 regular districts have at least one Fort Payne 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 15.8:1, lower 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.
About 64% 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 Fort Payne
Elementary schools in Fort Payne
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Ridge Intermediate School Fort Payne City | 03–05 | 792 | 16.2:1 | |
| Wills Valley Elementary School Fort Payne City | KG–02 | 738 | 13.4:1 |
Middle schools in Fort Payne
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Payne Middle School Fort Payne City | 06–08 | 741 | 15.8:1 |
High schools in Fort Payne
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alternative School DeKalb County · Alternative School | 05–12 | — | — | |
| Fort Payne Career Academy Fort Payne City | 09–12 | — | — | |
| Fort Payne High School Fort Payne City | 09–12 | 1,106 | 16.8:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Fort Payne
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Avenue Elementary School Fort Payne City | PK–PK | 131 | 13.8:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White48.4%
- Hispanic43.7%
- Black2.8%
- Asian0.8%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.9%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial3.3%
Enrollment-weighted across 5 Fort Payne schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (3,508 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Fort Payne
How many public schools are in Fort Payne, AL?
The current NCES directory lists 7 open public schools with a location address in Fort Payne: 2 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 3,508 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Fort Payne?
Schools with an address in Fort Payne belong to 2 education agencies, led by Fort Payne City (6 schools), DeKalb County (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Fort Payne?
Fort Payne High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Fort Payne, with 1,106 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Fort Payne?
No school with an address in Fort Payne 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 Fort Payne schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Fort Payne public schools is 15.8:1, lower 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 Fort Payne 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