Jefferson County Schools (Alabama)

Last updated

Jefferson County School District
Location
Birmingham, Alabama
Alabama
United States
Coordinates 33°29′15.42″N86°47′38.59″W / 33.4876167°N 86.7940528°W / 33.4876167; -86.7940528
District information
Type Public
MottoThe mission of the Jefferson County School System is to ensure rigorous learning for all through engaging, innovative instruction, responsible resource management, and meaningful community and family collaboration focused on student success.
GradesPreK–12
Established1896 (1896)
SuperintendentDr. Walter Gonsoulin
Schools56
Budget$394.8 million [1]
NCES District ID 0101920 [2]
Students and staff
Students36,000
Teachers2,500
Staff2,000
Other information
Website jefcoed.com

The Jefferson County School System is the second-largest public school system in Alabama, United States. It is the third oldest school system in Jefferson County preceded only by the Birmingham and Bessemer School Systems. The Jefferson County School System was created in 1896, and initially served all unincorporated communities and cities in the county other than Birmingham and Bessemer. Beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s various other cities began to establish their own separate systems (i.e., Homewood, Midfield, Vestavia Hills, Hoover, etc.). Today the County system serves students in those unincorporated areas of Jefferson County, Alabama such as Alliance, Bagley, Concord, Corner, Forestdale, McCalla, Minor, Mt. Olive, and Oak Grove. It also includes students who reside in the cities of Adamsville, Clay, Fultondale, Gardendale, Graysville, Hueytown, Irondale, Kimberly, Morris, Pinson, Pleasant Grove, and Warrior among others. Those cities listed below each have a city-based school system, therefore, their students do not attend schools in the Jefferson County School System:

Contents

Current Board Members, Responsibilities, and Election

The system is presided over by the elected Jefferson County Board of Education which is responsible for setting school policy, adoption of an annual operating budget, and broad issues usually dealt with by most school boards, such as construction of new schools, etc. The Board also relies on the guidance of the Superintendent in the making of many of those decisions. the work of the Board is financed by appropriations from the Alabama Legislature and a series of property taxes some of which are "district wide" and some of which are "county wide" in nature, plus the proceeds of a 1 cent sales tax.

The Board consists of five members elected by Place Number in partisan elections for six year terms. While these races are usually decided in the respective party primaries almost none of the work or decisions of the Board are of a partisan nature. There is no limitation on the number of terms to which a member can be elected. Four of the five members (Places 1-4) are elected only by the voters of the areas actually served by the school board. The fifth member (Place 5) is elected collectively only by the voters of the 11 cities that have their own school systems. This configuration is mandated by State law. [3] When vacancies occur during a term the remaining members of the Board have the power to appoint someone to the post for the remainder of the unexpired term. Two of the current members came to office in this manner when Ronnie Dixon was appointed to replace Dean Taylor, Jr. who died in office and Carita Venable replaced Jacqueline Smith who resigned. Officers of the board are elected for one-year terms from the five members. The immediate past President of the Board is Oscar Mann. Ronnie Dixon who was elected to the post in November, 2019. In 2020, Carita Venable was elected President is the currently serving in that role. Oscar Mann is the current Vice-President.

The current Board members, their party affiliation, and the designated Place Number when they appear on the ballot are as follows:

NameParty AffiliationFirst ElectedNext ElectionBallot Position
Donna J. PikeRepublican20162022Place 1
Eddie BrownRepublican20182024Place 2
Oscar S. MannRepublican20122024Place 3
Ronnie DixonRepublican(1)2020Place 4
Carita VenableDemocrat(2)2022Place 5

(1) Dixon was appointed to the Board in May, 2016. (2) Venable was appointed to the Board in February, 2019.

History

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Alabama, the school district required face masks for all of the 2020-2021 school year. [4]

Past Board Members (Partial List)

Many different men and women have served on the Board over the years. For most of the Board's history all its members were Democrats until the election of Republican Jim Hicks in 1980. After Mr. Hicks election the Board transitioned to a Republican majority over the next few election cycles. It has remained with a Republican majority ever since. Three African-Americans have served on the Board including the present Board member, Carita Venable. Previously, Martha Bouyer, and Jacqueline Smith served with Mrs. Smith being the first African-American to be elected as Board President. [5] Below is a partial listing of past members:

Superintendents

Day-to-day operations of the system are run by the superintendent. That post is filled by appointment by a majority vote of the County Board of Education and that individual serves at the pleasure of the Board. The most recent superintendent was Dr. Craig Pouncey, [6] who took over in June 2014, following the ouster of Dr. Stephen Nowlin after 16 months in office. [7] On September 11, 2019, it was announced that Dr. Pouncey had accepted the Presidency of Coastal Alabama Community College, effective October 1, 2019 and would leave his post with Jefferson County on September 27. Dr. Walter Gonsoulin, Jr., the Deputy Superintendent became Interim Superintendent on September 27, 2019 and was given the position permanently by the Board in November, 2019, becoming the first African-American to be permanent Superintendent.

The first Superintendent of Jefferson County was Isaac Wellington McAdory from 1896–1913. In 1868, shortly after The Civil War and long before the County System existed, he and his wife, Alice (Sadler) McAdory, established and ran the Pleasant Hill Academy in McCalla. [8] It was arguably the first education institution in Jefferson County preceding both the Birmingham and Bessemer systems and even predating any colleges or universities in the county. The Pleasant Hill Academy is the forerunner of present-day McAdory High School. The first seven superintendents of the system all had schools named in their honor. However, McNeil School no longer exists and Simmons Elementary is now part of the Hoover School System. Issac Wellington McAdory is the only Superintendent who has three separate schools named in his honor which may be more of a coincidence than a deliberate effort.

SuperintendentsYears of Service
Isaac W. McAdory [8]
1889-1913
P. M. McNeil
1913-1917
N. R. Baker
1917-1925
Eugene B. Erwin
1925-1936
John E. Bryan
1937-1948
Ira F. Simmons
1948-1959
Kermit A. Johnson
1959-1968
J. Revis Hall
1968-1981
John J. Hunt
1981-1984
William E. Burkett
1984-1989
Herb A. Sang
1989-1991
Bruce Wright
1992-2000
Bobby Neighbors
2000-2003
Roger Tomberlin (interim)
2003
Phil Hammonds
2004-2013
Stephen Nowlin
2013-2014
Bobby Neighbors (interim)
2014
W. Craig Pouncey
2014-2019
Walter Gonsoulin, Jr.
2019–present

List of current schools

High schools

The Jefferson County School District includes the following fourteen high schools. Data on enrollment, student-teacher ratio, and graduation rate are all drawn from the 2013–14 academic year.

SchoolLocationEnrollment

(9–12) [9]

Student-Teacher

Ratio [9]

Graduation

Rate [10]

Avg. ACT Score [11] Athletics [12]
Center Point High School Center Point 84115:186%186A
Clay-Chalkville High School Clay 1,33318:186%216A
Corner High School Corner 52116:195%245A
Fultondale High School (2) Fultondale 32211:173%243A
Gardendale High School Gardendale 1,09519:190%246A
Hueytown High School Hueytown 1,11318:188%226A
Jefferson County IB School Irondale 36317:1100%30---
McAdory High School McCalla 97519:192%216A
Minor High School Adamsville 1,00315:183%206A
Mortimer Jordan High School Kimberly 75117:195%245A
Oak Grove High School (1) Bessemer 50113:184%244A
Pinson Valley High School Pinson 1,02820:183%226A
Pleasant Grove High School (2) Pleasant Grove 54815:195%225A
Shades Valley High School Irondale 1,34816:193%226A

(1) Oak Grove is a combined Middle and High School campus containing grades 6–12.

(2) Both Pleasant Grove and Fultondale are combined Middle and High School campus containing grades 7–12.

Middle schools

Elementary schools

Community schools

Former schools (Partial List)

With the passage of years many former schools in the Jefferson County School System completely ceased to exist. This is to be expected in a system that is over 100 years old. Most were established by the County Board of Education, yet some were first established by a local community or were built as "company schools" and ceded to the County System at a later date. Other schools have seen their names changed or been sold or ceded to some of the other municipal systems. This occurs for a variety of reasons some of which are demographic changes, de-segregation orders, obsolete facilities, etc. Many of these campuses are gone without a trace and a few have been re-purposed to other uses. This list does not include former school buildings at different sites for institutions that still exist under the same name such as Shades Valley High School (2 different campuses); Hueytown High School (3 different campuses); Minor High School (2 campuses), etc. The list does include schools whose names and/or locations have changed such as Berry High School (now Hoover High School) or New Castle High School (now Fultondale High School).

High Schools (Partial List)

Name of High SchoolLocationYearsAdditional Notes
Alliance High SchoolAlliance community(1920-1930)
W. A. Berry High Schoolnear City of Hoover, Old Columbiana Road(1959-1988)converted to Berry Middle School (Hoover System), sold to Vestavia Board of Education (2016)
Brighton High SchoolCity of Brighton(1941-1989)closed and abandoned
E.B. Erwin High School Center Point(1964-2010)replaced by Center Point High School; was a Middle School from 1957-1964 and again from 2011-present
Gilmore-Bell Vocational High Schoolpresent day City of HueytownDemolished, vacant and overgrown property at 4933 Bessemer-Johns Road
Hooper City High Schoolpresent day City of Birmingham(1947-1965)all black school
Jones Valley High SchoolCity of Birmingham(1921-1988)closed, Demolished, site now is Jones Valley Middle School (Birmingham System)
New Castle High SchoolCity of Fultondale(1965-1972)renamed Fultondale High School after 1972
Robert R. Moton High SchoolCity of Leeds(1948-1970)all black school; closed when system was desegregated; Moton Community Ctr. since 2012
Powderly High Schoolpresent day City of Birmingham(1940-1946)all black school
Rosedale High Schoolpresent day City of Homewoodclosed in 1969all black school, closed when system was desegregated
Shades Cahaba High Schoolpresent day City of Homewood(1921-1948)building still exists as Shades Cahaba Elementary School (Homewood System)
Warrior High SchoolCity of Warrior(1926-2002)closed, building still exists
West Jefferson High SchoolCity of West Jefferson(1923-2000)building still exists, serves as West Jefferson City Hall and community center
Westfield High Schoolpresent day City of Birmingham (Tin Mill Road)(1933-1971)all black school; closed when system desegregated; Demolished 1973; Judge U.W. Clemon is a graduate


Other Schools (Partial List)

NameLocationYearsAdditional Notes
Addison Elementary SchoolBessemer (Morgan Rd & Hwy 150)(1914-1980s)all black school, building abandoned but still exists
Alley SchoolBirmingham (Elyton community)(1902-1964)ceded to Birmingham after the 1910 municipal consolidation
Alliance ElementaryAlliance communityabandoned building still exists
Dixie Junior High SchoolMinor communityclosed in 1970replaced by Bottenfield Jr. High (1971) and renamed Minor Middle School (2016)
Dolomite Elementarysite in present-day City of Hueytown (Dolomite neighborhood)Demolished (vacant lot on Pleasant Grove Road)
Graysville Junior High SchoolCity of Graysvilleclosed in 1980sbuilding now owned by City of Graysville
Greenwood SchoolGreenwood community (within City of Bessemer)(5012 Roselyn Rd)(1937-1966)ceded to Bessemer School System in 1966, still operates in Bessemer System, served grades 1-9 through 1959
Greenwood Junior High SchoolGreenwood community (1217 School Rd)(1959-1966)since 1966 the building has been Greenwood Elementary of the Jefferson County system
Hall-Kent Elementarypresent day City of Homewood (west Homewood)(1927-1970)ceded to Homewood School System in 1970
Ishkooda Elementary
Johns Elementarynear City of North Johns
Ketona Elementary
Ketona Junior High Schoolnear Tarrant City
Majestic ElementaryCity of Morris
McDonald Chapel Elementary
McNeil School [13] site in present-day City of Bessemer(1923-1989)(grades 1-8), Demolished in 1998, site today is McNeil Park
Mineral Springs ElementaryMt. Olive
Mulga Elementary
Pinson School (Old Rock School)4509 Pinson Blvd, Pinson(1921-1980s)building still exists, now is Pinson Public Library as of Jan., 2019)
Raimund Elementarypresent day City of Bessemer
Red Ore ElementaryBessemer(1917-1970s)(all black school) originally built by Woodward Coal Company
Roosevelt Elementaryformerly A.G. Gaston Elementary School; now in City of Birminghamall black school
Joseph N. Rutledge Elementarypresent day City of Midfieldceded to Midfield School System after 1970
Sandusky Elementaryclosed mid 1980stoday is Sandusky Community Center
Shannon Elementarypresent day City of Homewood (Shannon neighborhood)closed in 1970s
Sylvan Springs ElementaryCity of Sylvan Springsbuilding today serves as a Community Center located on Rock Creek Road
Trafford Elementary
Virginia Mines Schoolsite in present-day City of Hueytownclosed 1950s(grades 1-6) Demolished (site is now part of a housing subdivision)
Booker T. Washington Elementarypresent day City of Birmingham (Titusville)(1904-2007)(all black school) ceded to Birmingham after 1910 municipal consolidation, Demolished 2007
Wenonah SchoolBrownsville community1917-2007(all black school)(grades 1-9); built as a "company owned" school, later ceded to Jefferson County, transferred to B'ham system (1974)
Wilkes Schoolpresent day City of Midfield(grades 1-8), ceded to Midfield School System after 1970, building still exists
Woodward Jr. High Schoolpresent day City of Birmingham (now St. John Baptist Church)1956-1986(grades 1-8) replaced Dolomite Colored Elementary School, two blocks away from all-white Dolomite Elementary School
Rosa Zinnerman ElementaryCity of Hueytownclosed, abandoned but still exists

Failing schools

Statewide testing ranks the schools in Alabama. Those in the bottom six percent are listed as "failing." As of early 2018, both Center Point and Minor High Schools were included in this category. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jefferson County, Alabama</span> County in Alabama, United States

Jefferson County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Alabama, located in the central portion of the state. As of the 2020 census, its population was 674,721. Its county seat is Birmingham. Its rapid growth as an industrial city in the 20th century, based on heavy manufacturing in steel and iron, established its dominance. Jefferson County is the central county of the Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bessemer, Alabama</span> City in Alabama, United States

Bessemer is a city in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States and a southwestern suburb of Birmingham. The population was 26,019 at the 2020 census. It is within the Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area, of which Jefferson County is the center. It developed rapidly as an industrial city in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hueytown, Alabama</span> City in Alabama, United States

Hueytown is a city in western Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Birmingham metropolitan area, and was part of the heavy industry development in this area in the 20th century. The population was 16,776 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pleasant Grove, Alabama</span> City in Alabama, United States

Pleasant Grove is a city in western Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Birmingham metropolitan area. The population was 9,544 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vestavia Hills, Alabama</span> City in Alabama, United States

Vestavia Hills, colloquially known simply as Vestavia, is a city in Jefferson and Shelby counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a suburb of Birmingham and it is made up of Vestavia, Liberty Park, and Cahaba Heights. The population was 39,102 at the 2020 census. Vestavia Hills is the third largest city in Jefferson County in 2020, after Birmingham and Hoover. Vestavia Hills is the thirteenth largest city in Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Area codes 205 and 659</span> Telephone area code in Alabama, US

Area codes 205 and 659 are telephone area codes in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the western and central parts of the U.S. state of Alabama, including the cities of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoover High School (Alabama)</span> American public high school

Hoover High School is a four-year public high school in the Birmingham, Alabama suburb of Hoover. It is one of two high schools in the Hoover City School System and one of three International Baccalaureate schools in the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area. The school colors are orange, black, and white, and the athletic teams are called the Buccaneers. Hoover competes in AHSAA Class 7A athletics.

Trussville City Schools (TCS) is the public school system for Trussville, Alabama, a city east of Birmingham. The Trussville City Schools school district serves approximately 5,000 students and is consistently ranked among the top 10 districts in the state of Alabama. Its standardized test scores in Math, Science, and English Language Arts regularly land among the Top 5 or Top 10 in the state. The district also consistently earns high rankings from third-party entities including Niche and School Digger. The mascot is the Husky, and team colors are red, gray, and white.

Oak Grove High School is a combined middle school and high school. Its location is fifteen miles northwest of downtown Bessemer, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama. It is physically located in the unincorporated community of Oak Grove for which the school is named. Oak Grove is one of fourteen high schools in the Jefferson County School System. School colors are red and white, and the athletic teams are called the Tigers. Oak Grove competes in AHSAA Class 4A athletics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McCalla, Alabama</span> Census-designated place in Alabama, United States

McCalla is a census-designated place in Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties, Alabama, United States, southwest of Bessemer and the geographic terminus of the Appalachian Mountains.

The Jefferson County Library Cooperative (JCLC) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt educational consortium of public libraries in Jefferson County, Alabama. The JCLC administrative office is located at the Birmingham Public Central Library. The member libraries within the cooperative are autonomous, with each one maintaining its own board, director and budget.

McAdory High School (MHS) is a four-year public high school in the Birmingham, Alabama suburb of McCalla. It is one of fourteen high schools in the Jefferson County School System and was named for early local educator Isaac McAdory. School colors are black and gold, and the athletic teams are called the Yellowjackets. MHS competes in AHSAA Class 6A athletics.

Hueytown High School is a four-year public high school in the Birmingham, Alabama suburb of Hueytown. It is one of fourteen high schools in the Jefferson County School System. Hueytown competes in AHSAA Class 6A athletics. According to the website "Niche.com" Hueytown High was ranked #48 among the "Top fifty Alabama High Schools for Athletes" in 2020, one of only two Jefferson County School System schools to be so recognized among the state's more than 347 high schools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham metropolitan area, Alabama</span> Metropolitan Statistical Area in Alabama, United States

The Birmingham metropolitan area, sometimes known as Greater Birmingham, is a metropolitan area in north central Alabama centered on Birmingham, Alabama, United States.

Hoover City Schools is the public school system serving the city of Hoover, Alabama within the Birmingham, Alabama, metropolitan area. Seventeen schools comprise the 55 square-mile system: 10 elementary schools, three middle schools, one intermediate school and two high schools. A five-member Board of Education, appointed by the Hoover City Council, acts as the governing body of the school system. Hoover City Schools has more National Board-Certified Teachers than any other system in Alabama; more Alabama Teachers of the Year than any other system in Alabama; and ACT scores above state and national averages. The system has a strong focus on instructional technology and maintains safe, clean facilities. The system has consistently grown in student population since its inception in the late 1980s.

Bessemer City School District is a school district in Jefferson County, Alabama first established in 1887. It is the second oldest public school system in the state's most populated county.

The Vestavia Hills City School System is the school system of the Birmingham, Alabama, suburb of Vestavia Hills. Vestavia Hills City Schools serve 6,762 students and employ 765 faculty and staff. The district includes five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school.

Bessemer City High School (BCHS) is a four-year public high school in Bessemer, Alabama. It is the only high school in the Bessemer City School System. School colors are purple and white, and the athletic teams are called the Tigers. BCHS competes in AHSAA Class 6A athletics.

Fultondale High School is a combined middle school and high school located in Fultondale, Alabama. It is one of fourteen schools within the Jefferson County School System. The school opened after the previous Fultondale High School, established in 1965, was destroyed after damage from a tornado in 2021. The new building opened on August 14, 2023.

References

  1. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics. CCD Public school district data for the 2012–2013, 2013–2014 school years
  2. ↑ "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Jefferson County". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences . Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  3. ↑ Alabama Act No. 646, Ala. Code Section 45-37-100(a)
  4. ↑ "Jefferson County Schools to require face masks through end of 2020-21 school year". WBRC. April 5, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  5. ↑ The North Jefferson News, article by Robert Carter, Nov. 19, 2015
  6. ↑ Carter, Robert (June 14, 2014). "Craig Pouncey selected as new Jefferson County Schools superintendent". The North Jefferson News . Archived from the original on December 8, 2014.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ↑ Carter, Robert (May 6, 2014). "Jefferson County Schools moves Nowlin to consultant's job, ending term as superintendent". The North Jefferson News . Archived from the original on May 7, 2014.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. 1 2 Robert Walker, McAdory School Reunion Committee (1988)
  9. 1 2 National Center for Education Statistics. Common Core of Data, Public school data 2012–2013, 2013–2014 school years.
  10. ↑ "2014 Graduation Rates by School and District". Alabama School Connection. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Jefferson County Schools – Alabama – Niche". K-12 School Rankings and Reviews at Niche.com. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  12. ↑ "AHSAA School Classification 2014–16" (PDF).
  13. ↑ Ester Caine Towers article on website of Hueytown Historical Society
  14. ↑ "Failing Alabama public schools: 75 on newest list, most are high schools". AL.COM. January 25, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
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