Public schools in Tuscaloosa, AL
29 open public schools with an address in Tuscaloosa, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
29
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
13,365
23 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
16.7:1
Alabama median 17.2:1
Charter schools
1
3 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Tuscaloosa public schools
The federal directory lists 29 public schools in Tuscaloosa, AL: 15 elementary, 4 middle, 8 high, 2 combined or other. The 23 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 13,365 students, an average of 581 per school. The largest campus is Hillcrest High School (1,434 students), and the largest elementary school is Rock Quarry Elementary School (671).
Tuscaloosa City operates the most schools here (19), and 2 regular districts have at least one Tuscaloosa campus, plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. 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 16.7:1, 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 1 charter school, 3 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 4 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 57% 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 Tuscaloosa
Elementary schools in Tuscaloosa
15| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arcadia Elementary School Tuscaloosa City | PK–05 | 418 | 16.1:1 | |
| Central Elementary School Tuscaloosa City | PK–05 | 291 | 14.5:1 | |
| Englewood Elementary School Tuscaloosa County | 03–05 | 522 | 18.6:1 | |
| Holt Elementary School Tuscaloosa County | PK–05 | 448 | 17.3:1 | |
| Martin L King Jr Elementary School Tuscaloosa City | PK–05 | 467 | 16.7:1 | |
| Oakdale Elementary School Tuscaloosa City | PK–05 | 292 | 13.5:1 | |
| Rock Quarry Elementary School Tuscaloosa City | PK–05 | 671 | 17.4:1 | |
| Skyland Elementary School Tuscaloosa City | PK–05 | 459 | 16.5:1 | |
| Southview Elementary School Tuscaloosa City | PK–05 | 644 | 17.8:1 | |
| Taylorville Primary School Tuscaloosa County | PK–02 | 578 | 18.6:1 | |
| The Alberta School of Performing Arts Tuscaloosa City · Magnet | PK–08 | 632 | 13.6:1 | |
| Tuscaloosa Magnet School Elementary Tuscaloosa City · Magnet | 01–05 | 324 | 15.1:1 | |
| University Place Elementary School Tuscaloosa City | PK–05 | 570 | 15:1 | |
| Verner Elementary School Tuscaloosa City | PK–05 | 608 | 17.9:1 | |
| Woodland Forrest Elementary School Tuscaloosa City | PK–05 | 544 | 18.1:1 |
Middle schools in Tuscaloosa
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillcrest Middle School Tuscaloosa County | 06–08 | 542 | 19.4:1 | |
| Northridge Middle School Tuscaloosa City | 06–08 | 775 | 15.8:1 | |
| Tuscaloosa Magnet School Middle Tuscaloosa City · Magnet | 06–08 | 173 | 16.5:1 | |
| Westlawn Middle School Tuscaloosa City | 06–08 | 568 | 14.9:1 |
High schools in Tuscaloosa
8| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School Tuscaloosa City | 09–12 | 796 | 17.9:1 | |
| Hillcrest High School Tuscaloosa County | 09–12 | 1,434 | 18.2:1 | |
| Holt High School Tuscaloosa County | 09–12 | 456 | 16.3:1 | |
| I Dream Big Charter Schools I Dream Big Charter Schools · Charter | 06–12 | — | — | |
| Northridge High School Tuscaloosa City | 09–12 | 1,153 | 21.2:1 | |
| TCSS Academy Tuscaloosa County · Alternative School | 06–12 | — | — | |
| Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy Tuscaloosa City · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | — | — | |
| Tuscaloosa County Juvenile Detention Center Tuscaloosa County · Alternative School | 07–12 | — | — |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Tuscaloosa
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legends Virtual Academy Tuscaloosa County | KG–12 | — | — | |
| STARS Academy Tuscaloosa City · Alternative School | KG–12 | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White23.7%
- Hispanic8.8%
- Black62.8%
- Asian2.1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial2.2%
Enrollment-weighted across 23 Tuscaloosa schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (13,365 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Tuscaloosa
How many public schools are in Tuscaloosa, AL?
The current NCES directory lists 29 open public schools with a location address in Tuscaloosa: 15 elementary, 4 middle, 8 high, 2 combined or other. Together they reported 13,365 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Tuscaloosa?
Schools with an address in Tuscaloosa belong to 3 education agencies, led by Tuscaloosa City (19 schools), Tuscaloosa County (9 schools), I Dream Big Charter Schools (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 Tuscaloosa?
Hillcrest High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Tuscaloosa, with 1,434 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Tuscaloosa?
Yes. 1 of the 29 public schools in Tuscaloosa are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including I Dream Big Charter Schools. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Tuscaloosa schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Tuscaloosa public schools is 16.7:1, 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 Tuscaloosa 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