Alabama School of Mathematics and Science

The Alabama School of Mathematics and Science (ASMS) is the state's only fully public residential high school for sophomores, juniors, and seniors seeking advanced studies in mathematics, science, and the humanities. Located in Mobile's Old Dauphin Way Historic District, ASMS was established in 1989 by the Alabama State Legislature to identify, challenge, and train Alabama's future leaders. Tuition, room, and board are free. ASMS has been named the Best Public High School in Alabama by Niche, a prominent platform that ranks schools based on academics, teacher quality, and other factors.  

Alabama School for Mathematics and Science In the late 1980s, a group of concerned citizens banded together in Mobile to develop an advanced high school that could draw students from each county in the state. Many in this group belonged to Mobile United, a service organization focused on solving community challenges. One of the most notable members of the founding group was Ann Smith Bedsole, the first Republican woman to be elected to the Alabama House of Representatives and a member of the ASMS School Board and Foundation Board of Directors. Other notable supporters have included Walter A. Bell, former Alabama insurance commissioner from 2003 to 2008, and Rep. Steve McMillan, both of whom also served on the ASMS School Board and Foundation Board of Directors since the school's founding. The models for ASMS were the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, where students complete their final two or three years of high school with advanced studies in mathematics and the sciences.

In 1989, the legislature approved a bill creating ASMS and gave the school's founders $330,000 in start-up funds to hire faculty and staff and to purchase books and office equipment. Shortly after that, the ASMS Foundation was created in Mobile to raise additional funds to purchase a school campus and to furnish labs and dorm rooms.

ASMS continues to operate as a non-profit organization that receives donations from businesses, industries, individuals, and other foundations. The 12.3-acre ASMS campus sits on the former property of Mobile Dauphin Way Baptist Church, although it has been heavily modified and refurbished. The first students arrived in 1991, while much of the campus was under construction, and the school later added a boys' dormitory, the Ann Smith Bedsole Library, and the E. O. Wilson Science Research Center, the only college-level research facility for high schoolers in Alabama. The first class of seniors graduated in 1993.

ASMS Auditorium Window with Seal ASMS benefits from a unique partnership between the state of Alabama and the business and industry communities. The state supplies a roughly $11-12 million operating budget for the school, and the campus is owned and maintained by the ASMS Foundation, which also raises money for the operating budget and other projects. Since the school was established, the foundation has raised more than $41 million, much of which has been spent on capital-improvement projects. The ASMS school board governs the school. The Alabama governor appoints nine of the board's 21 members. Of those nine appointees, seven are appointed to represent congressional districts, and two are appointed to represent Mobile and Baldwin Counties. Although ASMS receives state funding, the school does not fall under the jurisdiction of the state school board; instead it is administered by a president selected by the ASMS board.

ASMS has the capacity to enroll 300 students each year. Throughout the school's history, ASMS has enrolled a student from every Alabama county. One hundred percent of ASMS graduates are accepted to college, 75 percent of graduates remain in Alabama for college, 65 percent are still working in Alabama today, and roughly 65 percent of alumni are working in STEM. The school has had almost 200 National Merit Finalists over its history, and ASMS students are awarded an average of $133,000 in scholarships per student.

All courses are taught at the advanced placement or honors level, and students are taught by experienced faculty, 90 percent of whom have taught and researched at the college-level prior to teaching at ASMS. All faculty have a Ph.D. or master’s degree in their respective fields. Varsity and intramural sports, residential-life activities, and college counseling complement the strong academic program, which is comprehensive in the sciences as well as the humanities. ASMS is a diverse campus: historically, more than 50 percent of the student body has self-identified as members of ethnic minority groups.

Admission is open to all Alabama high school students in grades 10, 11, and 12. The Admissions Selection Committee evaluates students based on academic achievement, maturity, and achievement in extracurricular activities. Student applications are reviewed holistically when making a decision. Candidates are invited to interview with an admissions committee member, either virtually or in person. All students live in dormitories under the supervision of professional staff. ASMS offers a comprehensive residential-life program. With all students living on campus, numerous opportunities exist for tutorials, guest lectures, field trips, and visits to local cultural events, as well as to educational and scientific institutions.

During Special Projects Week, students leave normal classes and study a subject in depth. Some stay on campus and work in labs and others travel off campus. Recently, students have traveled to Italy, China, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, Florida, New York, and Washington, D.C. During this time, students explore topics through research and interactive experiences. ASMS has been named Best Public High School for STEM, Best College Prep Public High School, and Best Magnet School in Alabama by Niche. The school is also one of the few Cognia STEM certified schools in the state. (Cognia is an accreditation and certification organization that evaluates schools and districts based on their adherence to research-based standards, and its STEM certification program recognizes schools with an effective focus on STEM.)