Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 17 schools in district

East Limestone High School

15641 E Limestone Rd, Athens, AL 35613Limestone County →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 06–12Non-Charter
1,282
Students
Total enrolled
98%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 13% vs nat'l
$8,557
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 40% vs nat'l
23.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 51% vs nat'l
38/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 25% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,282 students in grades 06–12 in Athens, Alabama.
40% below average funding
District spends $8,557 per pupil, 40% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 38th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

East Limestone High School is a very large high in Athens, Alabama, serving grades 06–12 with 1,282 students. The district invests $8,557 per student — 40% below the national average of $14,347, with a 23.2:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 40% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 38/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at East Limestone High School

1,282
Total Students
23.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
40%
Free Lunch
55
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (06–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution660 male · 622 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility40%
National avg 52% · 509 students
Student Composition
68%
21%
Asian2%
White68%
Hispanic / Latino6%
Black21%
Multiracial2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 010210000800

Academic Outcomes at East Limestone High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
GE95
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
98%
State avg
91%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
38
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 38th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 18th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 35613

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$8,557Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$8,557
State avg
$14,511
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$3,765
Student Support$1,626
Administration$1,027
Operations$1,284
Other$856
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $8,557 spent per student, an estimated $3,791 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
62%
27%
State government
61.6%
Local (property tax)
27.4%
Federal programs
11.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 98% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $8,557/student, 40% less than the national average
  • 23.2:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Sugar Creek Elementary SchoolCreekside Primary SchoolCedar Hill Elementary SchoolCreekside Elementary School
+5 more
↓
High School
Ardmore High SchoolWest Limestone High SchoolElkmont High SchoolClements High School
+2 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades06 – 12
Location—
CountyLimestone County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictLimestone County →
Phone: (256)233-6660
NCES ID: 010210000800
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Athens seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Limestone County
Other
Alabama Connections Academy
7,063 students · KG–12
● 38 opp65% FRL
High
Ardmore High School
993 students · 06–12
50% FRL
High
West Limestone High School
733 students · 06–12
● 38 opp60% FRL
Elem
Sugar Creek Elementary School
646 students · PK–05
● 38 opp63% FRL
High
Elkmont High School
643 students · 06–12
● 35 opp61% FRL
Elem
Creekside Primary School
634 students · PK–02
39% FRL
Elem
Cedar Hill Elementary School
578 students · PK–05
48% FRL
Elem
Creekside Elementary School
560 students · 01–05
41% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
15641 E Limestone Rd, Athens, AL 35613
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.