Photo by Jon Anderson.
The Hoover City Schools flag flaps in the wind outside the Farr Administration Building.
The Hoover school district recently was ranked as the fifth best school district in Alabama for 2024 by niche.com, a prominent school and community ranking and review website.
Homewood was the No. 1 school district in the state, followed by Madison, Auburn, Vestavia Hills and Hoover, with Saraland, Mountain Brook, Alabaster, Trussville and Hartselle rounding out the top 10.
The 2024 Best School Districts ranking is based on an analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews from students and parents. Ranking factors include state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, teacher quality and public school district ratings. Scores from the SAT and ACT college entrance tests were removed from this year’s rankings because of “a general de-emphasis on test scores in the college admissions process,” niche.com said.
Hoover’s overall grade from niche.com was an A+. The district also was graded in various categories and received an A+ in clubs and activities, college preparation and sports; an A in academics, teachers, administration, food, resources and facilities; and an A- in diversity.
Fifty percent of the overall grade was based on academics, and the data used by niche.com showed Hoover as having a 66% proficiency rate in reading, 45% proficiency rate in math and a 95% graduation rate.
Other key statistics showed the district having 13,606 students, with 24.4% receiving free or reduced-price meals due to family incomes. However, enrollment had dropped to 13,172 as of early September, with 32.8% of students qualifying for free or reduced-priced meals.
The niche.com data also showed Hoover as having a student/teacher ratio of 16:1, an average teacher salary of $60,536 and 21.8% of teachers being in their first or second year of teaching. The average expense per student was $13,366, with 61% of that going to instruction, 34% to support services and 5% to other expenses.
Hoover also was ranked as the No. 1 school district in the state for athletes, the eighth best place to teach in Alabama, No. 25 among districts with the best teachers and No. 33 on the list of the most diverse school districts in Alabama.
Spain Park and Hoover high schools both were ranked among the top 15 best public high schools in the state, with Spain Park coming in at No. 10 and Hoover at No. 13.
All three of Hoover’s middle schools ranked among the top 10 public middle schools in Alabama, with Bumpus coming in No. 3, Berry in No. 9 and Simmons No. 10.
Two Hoover elementary schools made the Top 10 list for public elementary schools in Alabama. Brock’s Gap Intermediate was No. 3 and Deer Valley was No. 6. Hoover’s Rocky Ridge Elementary made a significant jump from No. 33 to No. 13 on the elementary list (out of 721 public schools).
Nationally, Hoover ranked No. 156 among 10,932 school districts compared and was No. 28 on the best school districts for athletes and No. 718 on the best places to teach list.
“We are excited that Hoover City Schools has been recognized by Niche as one of the top five districts in Alabama,” new Superintendent Kevin Maddox said in a news release. “This accomplishment is a tribute to the dedication and effort put forth by our students, teachers and administrators throughout the district. Moving forward, Hoover City Schools will maintain high expectations and foster a climate of academic excellence.”
The complete list of 2024 rankings, methodologies, and data sources can be found at niche.com.
