For the 2025 school year, there are 3 public preschools serving 1,076 students in Bessemer City School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 1/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public pre schools in Alabama.
Public Preschools in Bessemer City School District have an average math proficiency score of 7% (versus the Alabama public pre school average of 31%), and reading proficiency score of 17% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 99% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the Alabama public preschool average of 48% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (AL)
# Schools
8 Schools
648 Schools
# Students
3,121 Students
310,670 Students
# Teachers
151 Teachers
18,546 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
21:1
21:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Bessemer City School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 145 school districts in Alabama (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 65% has decreased from 73% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#138 out of 145 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
5%
29%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
20%
47%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
12%
38%
Graduation Rate
65%
88%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.39
0.63
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
n/a
1%
% Hispanic
20%
11%
% Black
76%
30%
% White
2%
52%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
2%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $15,448 is higher than the state median of $13,006. The school district revenue/student has grown by 25% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $14,357 is higher than the state median of $12,220. The school district spending/student has grown by 26% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$48 MM
$9,671 MM
Spending
$45 MM
$9,086 MM
Revenue / Student (19-20)
$15,448
$13,006
Spending / Student (19-20)
$14,357
$12,220
Best Bessemer City School District Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Abrams Elementary School
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
1200 23rd Street North
Bessemer, AL 35020
(205) 432-3100
Bessemer, AL 35020
(205) 432-3100
Grades: PK-5
| 217 students
Rank: #22.
Jonesboro Elementary School
(Math: 7% | Reading: 18%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
125 Owen Ave
Bessemer, AL 35020
(205) 432-3400
Bessemer, AL 35020
(205) 432-3400
Grades: PK-5
| 509 students
Rank: #33.
Charles F Hard Elementary School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 10-14%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
2801 Arlington Ave
Bessemer, AL 35020
(205) 432-3300
Bessemer, AL 35020
(205) 432-3300
Grades: PK-5
| 350 students
Recent Articles

Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.

Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.

Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.