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Public school · Jackson County · Higdon, Alabama

North Sand Mountain School

North Sand Mountain School rates 4.8 on our ten-point scale and ranks 1,125 of 1,360 schools in Alabama.

Schools, 1 to 10This campus on our ten-point scale.
4.8this school

4.8 on a one-to-ten scale.

#1,125 of 1,360 schools in Alabama

The brief

A Jackson County school serving grades Pre-K – 12th.

Students at North Sand Mountain School score 49% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 50%).

It ranks 1,125 of 1,360 schools in Alabama and 16 of 16 in Jackson County.

Math36%2 points above the Alabama average of 34%2026 ACAP
Reading59%2 points above the Alabama average of 57%2026 ACAP
Proficiency has fallen 6 points since 2025, to 47% in 2026, across a 2-year record (2025–2026).2026 ACAP; 68 test records from AL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
2.2
25% of the rating
Academics
7.0
25% of the rating
College Readiness
4.2
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
6.4
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 60% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2026 ACAP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2026 ACAP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2026 ACAP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2026 ACAP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 35979; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
North Sand Mountain School and the 20 nearest schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$48,611
Median home value
$129,900
College educated
3.2%
Homeownership
96.9%
Poverty rate
18.5%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 35979; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
10
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
22
Somewhat Bikeable
County reported crime
1,656/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 county residents, counting every city police department, sheriff's office and county police department that reported a full year to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program. Shown only where those agencies cover at least 80% of the county's residents. Not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
1 AP course
1% participation · state average 2.5 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
12 sports
6 boys' · 6 girls' · 22 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
3 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
55.5%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible district peers, best rated first.
  1. 6.2Compare →
  2. Skyline High Schoolsame district
    6.0Compare →
  3. North Sand Mountain Schoolthis school
    4.8
No grade-compatible school using the same rating model is available within 5 miles, so these are two recorded peers in Jackson County, best rated first, and two rate higher than North Sand Mountain School.Public-school ratings. Same-district campuses. A district label is not attendance eligibility; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does North Sand Mountain School serve?

North Sand Mountain School serves students in grades Pre-K through 12th.

How many students attend North Sand Mountain School?

North Sand Mountain School has an enrollment of approximately 703 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at North Sand Mountain School?

The student-teacher ratio at North Sand Mountain School is 18.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does North Sand Mountain School rank in AL?

North Sand Mountain School ranks #1,125 of 1,360 schools in AL.

What is North Sand Mountain School's MySchoolScout rating?

North Sand Mountain School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.8 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at North Sand Mountain School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, North Sand Mountain School has 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 60% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is North Sand Mountain School a charter school?

No, North Sand Mountain School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is North Sand Mountain School a Title I school?

No, North Sand Mountain School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for North Sand Mountain School?

55.5% of students at North Sand Mountain School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
Pre-K – 12th
Enrollment
703
Student-teacher ratio
18.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
38
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Jackson County
4-year graduation
85–89%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#16 of 16
Schools in district
18
District spending per student
$12,969
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.0%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 35979)
885
Area median age
42

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Alabama Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.