It’s graduation season, and The Alabama Education Lab at AL.com took a look at which high schools the state says do the best job at sending students on to their next step.

A decade ago, the state board of education adopted a list of accomplishments that are meant to show students are ready to take college classes, go straight into the workplace or join the military.

Earning a college or career ready indicator will be a requirement to graduate high school for next year’s eighth graders – students who will graduate in 2028. The state does not have a high school graduation test.

Alabama considers a student is college or career ready if students graduate having attained one or more of the following accomplishments:

• A benchmark score on the ACT college entrance exam,
• A qualifying score of three or higher on an Advanced Placement exam,
• A qualifying score of four or higher on an International Baccalaureate exam,
• Earning college credit while in high school,
• Earning silver or gold status on the ACT WorkKeys exam,
• Completing an in-school youth apprenticeship program,
• Earning a career technical industry credential listed on the compendium of valuable credentials of the Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways,
• Attaining career and technical education completer status, or
• Being accepted into a branch of the military before graduation

Alabama high schools with high college or career readiness

Here’s a look at the 20 Alabama school districts that had the largest percentage of their seniors graduate with one or more college or career ready indicators.

• Geneva County – 98.3%
• Satsuma City – 98.1%
• Opp City – 97.6%
• Thomasville City – 97.5%
• Gulf Shores City – 97.1%
• Cullman County – 96.9%
• Arab City – 96.7%
• Coffee County – 96.4%
• Roanoke City – 96.3%
• Winfield City – 96.3%
• Fort Payne City – 96.1%
• Hartselle City – 96.1%
• Russellville City – 95.5%
• Geneva City – 95.1%
• Mountain Brook City – 95.1%
• Bibb County – 95%
• Piedmont City – 94.7%
• Dale County – 94.5%
• Covington County – 93.9%
• Alabaster City – 93.6%

Click this link to see the full list of Alabama school districts’ college and career readiness rates.

Nine Alabama schools graduated 100% of their students college or career ready:

• Cedar Bluff High School – Cherokee County
• Kinston School – Coffee County
• Geneva County High School – Geneva County
• Cold Springs High School – Cullman County
• Holly Pond High School – Cullman County
• Ragland High School – St Clair County
• Loveless Academic Magnet Program – Montgomery County
• New Century Technology High School – Huntsville City
• Oak Grove High School – Jefferson County

Here’s a look at the percentage of each high school’s graduating class of 2022 that earned a college or career ready indicator, broken down by each type of indicator.