What are the Best Schools in Alabama?

BIRMINGHAM, AL - With municipal elections in Birmingham merely weeks away, one issue that has been a focal point in the political realm is education. Birmingham's city schools have ranked low on a national scale, while schools and school systems from the surrounding suburbs have thrived. In a recent study, public schools from Mountain Brook, Hoover, Homewood and Vestavia Hills all received national recognition, and some of Birmingham's private schools were highly touted as well.

In Niche.com's annual school rankings list, Mountain Brook City Schools took top honors in the state for best school system, with Vestavia Hills placing second, Madison City Schools third, Homewood ranked fourth and Hoover fifth.

Birmingham's Altamont School placed third on the list of best individual schools in the state, behind Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School in Montgomery, and the top-ranked Indian Springs School, also in the Birmingham metro. Rounding out the top five for individual schools were The Randolph School in Huntsville and Bob Jones High School in Madison.

LAMP and Bob Jones were the only public schools in the top five overall. Mountain Brook High School, Vestavia Hills High School and Hoover's Spain Park High School rounded out the top five for public schools in Alabama. (For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Birmingham Patch morning newsletter.)

(Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)