Evaluation of Alabama school district websites

My Government Website
Transparency Checklist How to evaluate websites Progress reports County website project County comparison chart City website project List of cities School district website project List of school districts
Action steps

This page captures a snapshot of the information contributed by Sunshine Review users after they've studied the information made available on Alabama school district websites.

See also: School districts websites, state-by-state comparison, to compare what you can find on Alabama' school district websites to what can be found on school district websites in other states.

The Alabama School Connection conducted a review of all 132 school district websites in 2009 and 2010, looking for more than 30 key pieces of information, including district check registers and strategic plans, among other information. The 2010 review showed great improvement in many school districts putting information online. [1] A complete listing of school districts and links to their sites can be found at this link.

Reading the chart

In the chart below:

	means that information is included on the government website
	means that the information was not provided on the government website
P	means that information was partially provided

Check the Sunshine Review page about each school district for more detailed information about what information is available on the school district website, along with recommendations SR users have made for positive changes.

• See sample transparency legislation at the Sunshine Standard

Conclusions chart

2012

In November of 2012, Sunshine Review evaluated the 10 largest school districts, which averaged a "D+" website transparency score.

	Taxes?	Budget?	Meetings?	Elected officials?	Admin. Officials?	Contracts?	Audits?	Public records?	Academics?	Background checks?
Y	5	5	3	5	6	6	4	1	5	5
P	4	4	7	5	2	3	1	0	1	0
N	1	1	0	0	2	1	5	9	4	5

Comparison chart

School district	Grade	Taxes	Budget	Meetings	Elected Officials	Admin. Officials	Contracts	Audits	Public records	Academics	Background checks
Baldwin County Board of Education, Alabama	C	P	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	N
Birmingham City Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	Y	P	N	N	P	Y	Y
Elmore County Schools, Alabama	D-	Y	P	Y	P	Y	P	P	N	N	N
Hoover City Schools, Alabama	D-	P	Y	P	P	N	Y	N	N	N	Y
Huntsville City Schools, Alabama	D	N	N	P	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N
Jefferson County Board of Education, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	P	N	Y	Y	N	Y	N
Mobile County Public School System, Alabama	B-	P	Y	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y
Montgomery Public Schools, Alabama	D	Y	P	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N
Shelby County Schools, Alabama	C	Y	Y	P	P	P	Y	N	Y	Y	Y
Tuscaloosa County Schools, Alabama	D-	P	P	P	P	Y	P	Y	N	P	Y

2010

Overall Alabama school district websites earned a "D" transparency grade in 2010.

	Taxes?	Budget?	Meetings?	Elected officials?	Admin. Officials?	Contracts?	Audits?	Public records?	Academics?	Background checks?
Y	100	94	20	37	89	2	34	4	23	20
P	23	33	73	87	36	124	8	12	104	6
N	12	8	42	11	10	9	93	119	8	109

All school district ratings

Comparison chart

School district	Grade	Taxes	Budget	Meetings	Elected Officials	Admin. Officials	Contracts	Audits	Public records	Academics	Background checks
Alabama Department of Youth Services Schools, Alabama	F	P	P	P	N	Y	P	N	N	N	N
Alabama School of Fine Arts, Alabama	F	N	N	N	N	P	P	N	N	P	N
Albertville City Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	P	Y	N	P	N
Alexander City Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	P	N	N	Y	N
Andalusia City Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	Y	N	Y	N
Anniston City Schools, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	N	P	Y	P	N	P	P	N
Arab City Schools, Alabama	C	P	P	Y	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y	Y
Athens City Schools, Alabama	C	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	N	N	N
Attalla City School System, Alabama	F	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Auburn City Schools, Alabama	B-	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	P	Y	P	Y	N
Autauga County School System, Alabama	C	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	P	Y	N	Y	N
Baldwin County Board of Education, Alabama	C	P	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	N
Barbour County School District, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Bessemer City Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	P	Y	N	P	P
Bibb County School District, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Birmingham City Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	Y	P	N	N	P	Y	Y
Blount County School District, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	P	N	N	P	Y
Boaz City School District, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Brewton City Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	P	N
Bullock County School District, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	N	P	P	N
Butler County Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Calhoun County Schools, Alabama	D-	N	Y	P	Y	Y	N	N	N	P	N
Chambers County School District, Alabama	D	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	Y	N	P	N
Cherokee County Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	P	P	N	Y	N
Chilton County School District, Alabama	D	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	N	N	Y	N
Choctaw County School District, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	N	P	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Clarke County Schools, Alabama	D	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	N	N	P	Y
Cleburne County School District, Alabama	D	Y	Y	N	P	Y	P	Y	N	P	N
Coffee County School District, Alabama	C	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	N	Y	N
Colbert County Schools, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	N	P	Y	P	P	N	P	N
Coosa County School District, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	N	P	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Covington County Board Of Education, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	P	N	P	N
Crenshaw County School District, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Cullman City Schools, Alabama	D	Y	Y	N	P	Y	P	N	N	Y	N
Cullman County Board of Education, Alabama	F	N	N	P	Y	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Dale County School District, Alabama	F	Y	Y	N	N	N	P	N	N	P	N
Daleville City School District, Alabama	D	Y	Y	N	P	Y	P	N	N	Y	N
Dallas County School System, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	P	N	N	P	N
DeKalb County School System, Alabama	F	Y	Y	P	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Decatur City Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	P	N	P	Y	N
Demopolis City School District, Alabama	D	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Dothan City Schools, Alabama	F	N	N	Y	P	P	P	Y	N	P	N
Elba City Schools, Alabama	F	Y	Y	N	N	N	P	N	N	P	N
Elmore County Schools, Alabama	D-	Y	P	Y	P	Y	P	P	N	N	N
Enterprise City Schools, Alabama	F	Y	Y	N	P	P	P	N	N	P	Y
Escambia County School District, Alabama	F	Y	Y	P	N	P	P	N	N	P	N
Etowah County Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	P	Y	N	P	N
Eufaula City Schools, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Fairfield City Schools, Alabama	F	Y	Y	P	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Fayette County Schools, Alabama	F	P	P	P	P	Y	P	Y	N	P	N
Florence City Schools, Alabama	D	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	Y	N	P	N
Fort Payne City Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	N	P	Y	N	Y	N	Y	N
Franklin County School District, Alabama	D	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	Y	N	P	N
Gadsden City Schools, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	N	P	P	N
Geneva City School District, Alabama	D	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Geneva County School District, Alabama	D	Y	Y	N	P	Y	P	Y	N	P	N
Greene County School District, Alabama	F	Y	Y	N	P	N	P	N	N	P	N
Guntersville City School District, Alabama	F	Y	Y	P	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Hale County Schools, Alabama	F	Y	Y	N	N	N	P	N	N	P	N
Haleyville City Schools, Alabama	F	Y	P	P	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Hartselle City School District, Alabama	D-	Y	P	P	P	Y	P	N	N	Y	N
Henry County School District, Alabama	F	Y	P	P	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Homewood City School District, Alabama	F	Y	Y	P	P	P	N	N	N	P	N
Hoover City Schools, Alabama	D-	P	Y	P	P	N	Y	N	N	N	Y
Houston County Schools, Alabama	F	Y	Y	N	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Huntsville City Schools, Alabama	D	N	N	P	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N
Jackson County School District, Alabama	D	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	P	N	N	P	P
Jacksonville City Schools, Alabama	F	Y	Y	N	P	N	P	N	P	P	N
Jasper City Schools, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	P	P	P	P	N	N	Y	N
Jefferson County Board of Education, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	P	N	Y	Y	N	Y	N
Jefferson County Schools, Alabama	D-	N	Y	P	P	Y	P	Y	N	N	N
Lamar County School District, Alabama	F	Y	Y	N	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Lanett City School District, Alabama	F	N	P	N	P	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Lauderdale County Schools, Alabama	D	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	Y	N	P	N
Lawrence County Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Lee County School System, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Leeds City School District, Alabama	C	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	N	P	N
Limestone County School District, Alabama	D	Y	Y	Y	P	P	P	Y	N	Y	N
Linden City Schools, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	N	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N
Lowndes County School District, Alabama	D	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	P	N	N	Y	N
Macon County School District, Alabama	F	Y	Y	P	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Madison City Schools, Alabama	D	Y	P	Y	P	Y	P	P	P	P	Y
Madison County Schools, Alabama	D-	Y	P	P	P	Y	P	N	N	Y	Y
Marengo County School District, Alabama	F	P	P	P	P	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Marion County Schools, Alabama	F	N	N	N	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Marshall County School System, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	P	N	N	P	Y
Midfield City School District, Alabama	F	N	N	P	P	N	P	N	N	P	N
Mobile County Public School System, Alabama	B-	P	Y	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y
Monroe County School District, Alabama	F	Y	Y	P	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Montgomery Public Schools, Alabama	D	Y	P	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N
Morgan County Schools, Alabama, Alabama	C-	P	P	Y	Y	Y	P	N	N	Y	Y
Mountain Brook City Schools, Alabama	D	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	N	N	Y	N
Muscle Shoals City School District, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	N	P	P	P	Y	N	P	N
Oneonta City School District, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	P	N	N	P	Y
Opelika City Schools, Alabama	F	Y	Y	P	N	P	P	N	P	P	P
Opp City School District, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	P	P	P	P	N	N	P	Y
Oxford City Schools, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	N	N	P	P
Ozark City Schools, Alabama	F	P	P	N	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Pell City School District, Alabama	F	P	P	P	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Perry County School District, Alabama	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Phenix City Public Schools, Alabama	F	Y	Y	N	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Pickens County School District, Alabama	F	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	N	P	Y
Piedmont City School District, Alabama	F	P	P	N	Y	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Pike County Schools, Alabama	D	Y	P	Y	P	Y	P	Y	N	P	N
Randolph County School District, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	N	Y	P	P	N	N	P	N
Roanoke City Schools, Alabama	F	Y	P	N	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Russell County School District, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	Y	P	P	Y	N	P	Y
Russellville City Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	P	N	N	Y	N
Sarahland Board of Education, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	P	Y	P	Y
Scottsboro City School District, Alabama	D-	P	P	P	Y	Y	P	N	N	P	Y
Selma City School District, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	N	N	P	P
Sheffield City Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	Y	Y	P	N
Shelby County Schools, Alabama	C	Y	Y	P	P	P	Y	N	Y	Y	Y
St. Clair County Board Of Education, Alabama	D-	N	P	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	P	N
St. Clair County Schools, Alabama	C-	P	P	P	Y	Y	P	Y	N	Y	Y
Sumter County School District, Alabama	F	P	P	P	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Sylacauga City Schools, Alabama	C-	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	Y	N	Y	N
Talladega City School District, Alabama	F	P	P	N	P	Y	P	N	Y	P	N
Talladega County Schools, Alabama	D-	P	P	P	Y	Y	P	N	P	P	Y
Tallapoosa County Schools, Alabama	F	P	P	N	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Tallassee City School District, Alabama	D-	Y	Y	N	P	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Tarrant City Schools, Alabama	F	P	P	P	N	P	P	N	N	P	Y
Thomasville City Schools, Alabama	F	P	P	N	P	P	P	N	Y	P	Y
Troy City School District, Alabama	F	P	P	P	P	Y	P	N	P	P	N
Trussville City Schools, Alabama	D	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	Y	N	P	N
Tuscaloosa City Schools, Alabama	C-	P	Y	P	P	P	Y	Y	N	Y	Y
Tuscaloosa County Schools, Alabama	D-	P	P	P	P	Y	P	Y	N	P	Y
Tuscumbia City Schools, Alabama	D	Y	Y	P	P	Y	P	Y	N	P	Y
Vestavia Hills City Schools, Alabama	D-	N	N	Y	P	Y	P	N	N	Y	N
Walker County Board of Education, Alabama	F	P	P	Y	P	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Walker County Center Of Technology, Alabama	F	N	N	N	N	P	N	N	N	N	N
Washington County School District, Alabama	F	P	P	P	P	P	P	Y	N	P	N
Wilcox County School District, Alabama	F	P	P	N	Y	Y	P	N	N	P	N
Winfield City Schools, Alabama	F	P	P	N	P	P	P	N	N	P	N
Winston County School System, Alabama	F	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	N	P	N