The education gap is tied to geography. The map below shows that areas with lower socioeconomic functioning tend to have schools with lower ACT scores than areas with higher socioeconomic functioning. The map measures areas' socioeconomic health in a variety of ways ways: average income as reported by the Census Bureau, the rate of students receiving free or reduced lunch, unemployment rates, and percent of students living in two-parent families. Scores on the ACT may not be the most direct indicator of the health of a school, but they do give at least some insight and are widely available, allowing for comparison of many schools in different parts of the country.

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On this map, we see how the education gap manifests in different areas of Birmingham.

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For example, Parker High School is located in Census Tract 29, which has an unemployment rate of 35%, only 8% of students live in two-parent families, and the median income is $12,000. The average ACT score at the high school is 14.5, which is 6.5 points below the national average.

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By contrast, Mountain Brook High School is in Census Tract 108.05, with an unemployment rate of 4%, where 96% of students live in a two-parent family, and the median income is $102,000. This high school has an average ACT score of 26.5, a full 5.5 points above the national average.

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Use this map to explore different parts of Alabama or your home state.