Original Research by School Decision on Jemison High School
Jemison High School is one of the regular public high schools in the Huntsville City Schools district, serving grades nine through twelve in the city's north side. Huntsville itself is a mid-size, fast-growing city with a technology-driven economy anchored by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Redstone Arsenal, and Cummings Research Park, along with major manufacturing employers such as Mazda Toyota and GE Aviation. The school’s enrollment is moderate for a high school, with a student body that is predominantly Black and includes a notable Hispanic share, alongside a small White population and smaller groups of students who are Asian, Native American, Pacific Islander, or multiracial. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting the economic context of the surrounding neighborhood, where home values are modest and rents are below state averages.
On state assessments administered in the most recent school year, proficiency rates at Jemison were very low across all tested subjects. In English language arts, about one in every dozen or so students scored at the proficient level. In mathematics, the share was smaller. In science, it was similar to ELA. These are single-year figures, so there is no prior year to compare for a trend, but the results place the school in a position that a parent would want to understand by talking directly with school leadership about curriculum, instruction, and support structures. The school’s graduation rate was not available in the data we reviewed, and this absence is notable for a high school where that metric is routinely tracked; families may wish to ask the school or district for the most recent figure. Other information commonly reported for public schools such as chronic absenteeism rates, discipline data, staffing ratios, and course access patterns were also missing from the available records, leaving a partial picture.
Jemison High School operates under Huntsville City Schools, which in recent years shifted to a balanced calendar that starts the school year earlier in late July or early August and redistributes breaks throughout the year. This change is a lasting factor for family scheduling and summer planning across the district. The school itself does not have a charter or magnet designation; it is a standard neighborhood high school.
For a family considering this school, the most immediate takeaway is the academic attainment data, which shows a student body where a very small fraction met state proficiency benchmarks in the most recent testing year. Families already connected to the school community or working with the school on improvement efforts may have local context about initiatives in place. The school’s size, diversity, and the economic background of its students shape the peer environment. Huntsville’s broader growth and job market offer opportunities beyond the school, but the academic challenges at Jemison are central to any informed decision.
See more original research from School Decision →