School district or education agency · NCES 0102580

Opelika City

Opelika, AL

District overview See comparisons

Students5,204

Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.

Schools10

operational schools · 2023–24

Students5,204

students in linked records

Latest attendance year2022–23

federal comparable series

Latest finance record$12,232

per student

District, state and country

How does this district compare?

State and national figures use the same measure and reporting period. They are weighted by students or staffing whenever the source provides a denominator.

MeasureDistrictALUnited States

Academic standing2025

37th percentile40th percentile45th percentile

This district is 3 percentile points lower than the state figure and 8 percentile points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students chronically absent2022–23

24.3%22.6%27.8%

This district is 1.7 percentage points higher than the state figure and 3.5 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Revenue per studentFY 2023

$16,258$15,729$19,509

This district is $529 per student higher than the state figure and $3,251 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Spending per studentFY 2023

$12,232$12,768$15,859

This district is $536 per student lower than the state figure and $3,627 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Capital outlay per studentFY 2023

$4,931$1,619$1,964

This district is $3,312 per student higher than the state figure and $2,967 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Equipment spending per studentFY 2023

$240$212$336

This district is $28 per student higher than the state figure and $96 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Special-education spending per studentFY 2023

$815$1,185$1,793

This district is $370 per student lower than the state figure and $978 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Salaries per studentFY 2023

$6,851$6,984$8,742

This district is $133 per student lower than the state figure and $1,891 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Benefits per studentFY 2023

$2,548$2,540$3,769

This district is $8 per student higher than the state figure and $1,221 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023

$1,794$7,574$11,715

This district is $5,780 per student lower than the state figure and $9,921 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt retired per studentFY 2023

$219$362$869

This district is $143 per student lower than the state figure and $650 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Students per teacher2023–24

17:117:115:1

This district is about the same as the state figure and 2.0 students per teacher higher than the U.S. figure.

Students per counselor2023–24

410:1398:1376:1

This district is 12 students per counselor higher than the state figure and 34 students per counselor higher than the U.S. figure.

District staff per 1,000 students2023–24

96.8106.8138.9

This district is 10.0 staff per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 42.1 staff per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24

6.010.618.5

This district is 4.6 aides per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 12.5 aides per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24

0.00.00.9

This district is about the same as the state figure and 0.9 psychologists per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

Regular diplomas among completers2023–24

98.9%98.7%99.0%

This district is 0.2 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–122023–24

0.7%1.2%2.6%

This district is 0.5 percentage points lower than the state figure and 1.9 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Pre-K students as a share of enrollment2023–24

2.1%2.9%2.9%

This district is 0.8 percentage points lower than the state figure and 0.8 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schools

7.5%5.9%12.0%

This district is 1.5 percentage points higher than the state figure and 4.6 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schools

12.4%15.6%14.0%

This district is 3.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 1.6 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schools

100.0%96.3%95.8%

This district is 3.7 percentage points higher than the state figure and 4.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24

+4.6%-0.2%+0.5%

This district is 4.8 percentage points higher than the state figure and 4.1 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals2021–22 · valid district records

40.8%48.6%50.6%

This district is 7.8 percentage points lower than the state figure and 9.8 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollment

4.6%8.7%9.0%

This district is 4.1 percentage points lower than the state figure and 4.4 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimate

24.1%19.0%14.4%

This district is 5.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 9.7 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment · 2023–24

Who attends this district?

Pre-K108 students

2.1%

Kindergarten–grade 52,502 students

48.1%

Grades 6–81,172 students

22.5%

Grades 9–121,422 students

27.3%

See enrollment for every grade

Pre-Kindergarten108

Kindergarten438

Grade 1429

Grade 2426

Grade 3395

Grade 4414

Grade 5400

Grade 6388

Grade 7394

Grade 8390

Grade 9418

Grade 10377

Grade 11345

Grade 12282

Students by race and ethnicity

Black or African American2,706 (52.0%)

White1,430 (27.5%)

Hispanic/Latino869 (16.7%)

Two or more races121 (2.3%)

Asian42 (0.8%)

American Indian or Alaska Native23 (0.4%)

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander13 (0.2%)

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership file, 2023–24. Suppressed or missing cells are not estimated.

Early learning · 2023–24

How much public pre-K is reported?

108Students enrolled in pre-K

Pre-K students as a share of district enrollment

District2.1%

AL2.9%

United States2.9%

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2023–24. Enrollment shows children attending district-run public pre-K. It does not show open seats, waitlists, private providers, program hours, eligibility or the cost to families.

Current staffing · 2023–24

How many staff members support students?

503.7All district staff, full-time equivalent

306.6Teachers, full-time equivalent

12.7School counselors, full-time equivalent

31Instructional aides, full-time equivalent

8.5Librarians and media specialists, full-time equivalent

32School administrators, full-time equivalent

See detailed staffing

Kindergarten teachers25 FTE

Elementary teachers139.8 FTE

Secondary teachers141.8 FTE

Elementary school counselors8.7 FTE

Secondary school counselors4 FTE

District administrators6.8 FTE

District administrative support12.6 FTE

School administrative support23 FTE

Library and media support6 FTE

Other support staff64.5 FTE

Final NCES Common Core of Data staff file, 2023–24. These are full-time-equivalent positions, not employee headcounts, vacancies or caseloads.

High-school outcomes · 2023–24

How many students completed school or dropped out?

285Total completers

282Regular diplomas

3Other state-recognized credentials

10Reported dropouts, grades 9–12

Regular diplomas among completers

District98.9%

AL98.7%

United States99.0%

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–12

District0.7%

AL1.2%

United States2.6%

Final NCES Common Core of Data completer and dropout files, 2023–24. The dropout rate divides the reported annual grades 9–12 dropout count by complete grades 9–12 enrollment. It is not a cohort graduation rate. The diploma share describes credentials among completers and should not be read as a graduation rate.

Graduation · 2022–23

How many students graduated within four years?

Loading the district's official graduation record…

Learning support · 2021–22 federal snapshot

How many students may need specialized support?

Counts and shares use only schools with a usable value for that measure. The reporting-school denominator prevents missing schools from being counted as zero.

7.5%Students learning English364 students · 8 of 8 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District7.5%

AL5.9%

U.S.12.0%

12.4%Students receiving IDEA special-education services607 students · 8 of 8 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District12.4%

AL15.6%

U.S.14.0%

0.6%English learners also receiving IDEA services30 students · 8 of 8 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District0.6%

AL1.0%

U.S.1.7%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Public-use counts are privacy-protected. These figures describe the reporting year, not current enrollment, diagnoses, service quality or unmet need.

Teacher quality and early learning · 2021–22

What did the district report about teachers and preschool?

100.0%Teachers reported as certified

83Children ages 3–5 in district preschool

Teacher certification comparison

District100.0%

AL96.3%

United States95.8%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Certification status is district-reported and may not match current staffing. Preschool counts cover the federal reporting year and are not a measure of available seats.

Community context · 2024

How many school-age children live in poverty?

This Census estimate provides context about families in the district. It does not measure school quality or describe every student enrolled in the district.

5,165children ages 5 to 17

1,243estimated to live in families below the poverty line

24.1%about 1 in 4 school-age children

District24.1%

AL19.0%

United States14.4%

U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. The estimate covers related children ages 5 to 17 in families in poverty and uses 2024–25 district boundaries.

District geography · 2024–25

What area does this district cover?

NCES publishes a geographic boundary for traditional school districts. Charter agencies and some special-purpose agencies may not have one.

Loading the official district boundary…

Source: NCES EDGE School District Boundaries, school year 2024–25.

Comparable districts

Districts serving a similar student population

These peers are matched using enrollment and available student population measures. Districts in AL receive geographic preference, but a closer national match may appear when it is more comparable. Open any profile for a full comparison.

Jackson CountyBridgeport, AL5,181 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Athens CityAthens, AL5,034 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Gadsden CityGadsden, AL4,872 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Trussville CityTrussville, AL5,012 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Lawrence CountyTrinity, AL4,689 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →

Academic results · 2025

How do results differ among student groups?

Students not economically disadvantaged1,179 assessments

69 out of 100

Fem2,296 assessments

39 out of 100

Mal2,544 assessments

35 out of 100

Economically disadvantaged students3,661 assessments

27 out of 100

A score of 50 marks the national 2019 midpoint. Higher numbers indicate stronger results on the comparable Stanford research scale. This is not a state proficiency rate.

District makeup

What kinds of schools are in the district?

6Elementary schools

2High schools

1Middle schools

8City setting

1Rural setting

School levels, settings and types use the NCES 2021–22 directory matched to the federal civil-rights collection.

District finances

How is the district funded, and how does it spend?

Sources of funds

Where the money comes from

Share of district revenue supplied by each level of government.

13.9%Federal

47.4%State

38.7%Local

Uses of funds

Where the money goes

Annual spending for each enrolled student.

$12,232Total current spending per student

$7,545Instruction per student

$3,950Support services per student

Revenue by source: percentages and dollars

$11.4MFederal revenue13.9% of total revenue

$38.9MState revenue47.4% of total revenue

$31.8MLocal revenue38.7% of total revenue

How operating money was used

$7,545Instructionper student

$3,950Student and instructional supportper student

$815Special educationper student

$1,073Building operations and maintenanceper student

$423Student transportationper student

$737Food servicesper student

$250Technologyper student

People costs

$34.6MSalaries$6,851 per student

$12.9MEmployee benefits$2,548 per student

Equipment, buildings and debt

$1.2MEquipmentFY 2023

$24.9MCapital outlay$4,931 per student

$23.7MConstructionincluded in capital outlay

$9.1MDebt outstanding at year end$1,794 per student

$10.1MNew debt issuedFY 2023

$1.1MDebt principal retiredFY 2023

$587KInterest paid on debtFY 2023

Selected federal program revenue

$1.8MTitle I$349 per student

$1.2MIDEA special education$241 per student

$115KCareer and technical education$23 per student

$3.1MChild nutrition$604 per student

What changed since FY 2022

Operating spending per student

FY 2022$11,407

FY 2023$12,232

Capital spending per student

FY 2022$2,078

FY 2023$4,931

Debt outstanding per student

FY 2022$22

FY 2023$1,794

Revenue shares and spending categories answer different questions and should not be added together. Source: NCES F-33 district finance, FY 2023.

Attendance

How has chronic absence changed?

2020–2112.3%

577 of 4,678 students

2021–2223.5%

1,153 of 4,905 students

2022–2324.3%

1,201 of 4,944 students

Specialized support and security · 2021–22

What specialized roles were reported?

0Sworn law-enforcement officer FTE8 reporting schools

0Security staff FTE8 reporting schools

Staffing is reported as full-time equivalents in the 2021–22 CRDC collection.

Learning opportunities

What do district schools offer?

Algebra I1 reporting schools

Calculus1 reporting schools

Biology1 reporting schools

Chemistry1 reporting schools

Physics1 reporting schools

Computer science1 reporting schools

Advanced Placement1 reporting schools

Dual enrollment1 reporting schools

Gifted programs8 reporting schools

International Baccalaureate1 reporting schools

Athletics1 reporting schools

Shares use only schools for which the program was applicable and reported. A districtwide percentage does not guarantee availability at every grade or campus. Source: 2021–22 CRDC.

Safety and discipline

What was reported across district schools?

254Out-of-school suspensions8 reporting schoolsSee schools →688In-school suspensions8 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Law-enforcement referrals8 reporting schoolsSee schools →0School-related arrests8 reporting schoolsSee schools →5Physical restraint1 reporting schoolsSee schools →

Counts are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Open a measure to see the schools behind the district total.

Technology and safety · 2021–22

What access and incident data is available?

100%Schools reporting Wi-Fi8 reporting schools

100%Schools reporting fiber8 reporting schools

0Student devices reported8 reporting schools

1Weapon-possession reports8 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Threats involving a weapon8 reporting schoolsSee schools →7Threats without a weapon8 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Attacks involving a weapon8 reporting schoolsSee schools →37Attacks without a weapon8 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Firearm incidents8 reporting schoolsSee schools →1Robberies without a weapon8 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Robberies involving a weapon8 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Homicide incidents8 reporting schoolsSee schools →

Technology and incident figures are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Device counts describe the reporting year, not current inventory.

Six questions parents ask

What the available data says

Each answer shows its reporting year and opens a deeper comparison. Missing and suppressed results are never shown as zero.

Are students making academic progress?5 years of resultsLatest research estimate: 2025Explore and compare →Are students missing too much school?24.3% chronically absent2022–23 · 4,944 students measuredExplore and compare →Is the district improving?Declined overallCompare the earliest and latest available yearsExplore and compare →Where are student-group gaps largest?4 student groups2025 research estimatesExplore and compare →How much does the district spend?$12,232current spending per studentExplore and compare →Does the district have enough support staff?410:1 counselor ratioStudents per counselor in the 2023–24 federal staffing fileExplore and compare →

Data status

8 of 8 national data layers are matched to this NCES district ID. Identity and school counts use NCES records. Academic estimates use SEDA, attendance uses EDFacts, finance uses NCES F-33, staffing and enrollment use 2023–24 NCES CCD where available, teacher certification, preschool and policy fields use the 2021–22 CRDC, and community poverty context uses Census SAIPE. Four-year graduation rates use 2022–23 EDFacts. Every detailed view preserves its reporting year.

See all sources →