Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 48 schools in district

Parker High School

400 Abraham Woods Jr Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35204Birmingham City →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
826
Students
Total enrolled
82%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 5% vs nat'l
$15,867
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 11% vs nat'l
22.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 49% vs nat'l
32/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 35% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 826 students in grades 09–12 in Birmingham, Alabama.
11% above average funding
District spends $15,867 per pupil, 11% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 32th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Parker High School is a large high in Birmingham, Alabama, serving grades 09–12 with 826 students. The district invests $15,867 per student — 11% above the national average of $14,347, with a 22.9:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 90% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 32/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Parker High School

826
Total Students
22.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
90%
Free Lunch
36
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution448 male · 378 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility90%
National avg 52% · 741 students
Student Composition
14%
85%
White1%
Hispanic / Latino14%
Black85%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 010039000165

Academic Outcomes at Parker High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
80-84
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
82%
State avg
91%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
32
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 32th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 4th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 35204

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,867Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,867
State avg
$14,511
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,982
Student Support$3,015
Administration$1,904
Operations$2,380
Other$1,587
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,867 spent per student, an estimated $7,029 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
44%
33%
State government
43.8%
Local (property tax)
33.0%
Federal programs
23.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 82% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 22.9:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (32/100) — national median is 50
  • 90% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Huffman AcademyGlen Iris Elementary SchoolHayes K8Phillips Academy
+15 more
↓
Middle
Jones Valley Middle SchoolBush Hills STEAM AcademySmith Middle SchoolHuffman Middle School
+1 more
↓
High School
Huffman High SchoolMagnetJacksonOlin High SchoolWoodlawn High SchoolMagnetRamsay High School
+2 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyJefferson County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictBirmingham City →
Phone: (205)231-2370
NCES ID: 010039000165
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Birmingham seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Birmingham City
High
Huffman High SchoolMagnet
1,147 students · 08–12
● 41 opp71% FRL
High
JacksonOlin High School
784 students · 08–12
● 30 opp91% FRL
High
Woodlawn High SchoolMagnet
738 students · 09–12
● 29 opp91% FRL
Elem
Huffman Academy
735 students · PK–05
● 41 opp79% FRL
Elem
Glen Iris Elementary School
731 students · PK–05
● 38 opp78% FRL
High
Ramsay High School
660 students · 09–12
● 38 opp60% FRL
Elem
Hayes K8
658 students · PK–08
91% FRL
High
Wenonah High School
656 students · 09–12
● 32 opp85% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
400 Abraham Woods Jr Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35204
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.