By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

Two local school systems are starting out the new year as some of the top districts in the state. Hoover City and Shelby County schools ranked among the top 25 school districts in Alabama on national ranking website Niche.com’s latest Best School Systems in Alabama list, released on Nov. 17.

Hoover City Schools came in as No. 4 and Shelby County Schools ranked No. 25 on the list.

Hoover City Schools received top grades from Niche.com for academics, administration and policies, educational outcomes, health and safety and teachers. The system also received high marks for extracurriculars, food, resources and facilities, sports and fitness and student culture and diversity.

Hoover City Schools boasts a 93 percent graduation rate, compared to the national average of 82.2 percent. Additionally, Niche.com listed 91 percent of the student body is proficient in math and 94 percent is proficient in reading.

Niche.com gave Shelby County Schools high marks in academics, administration and policies, educational outcomes, food, resources and facilities, student culture and diversity and teachers. The system records a 91 percent graduation rate, and according to Niche.com, 87 percent of students are proficient in math and 90 percent are proficient in reading.

To compile the list, Niche.com analyzed each school district based on eight factors: Academics, health and safety, parent and student surveys on overall experience, student culture and diversity, teachers, resources and facilities, extracurriculars and activities and sports and fitness.

Niche.com used data such as state test scores, graduation rates and SAT and ACT scores. Rankings also took into account a number of student and parent reviews.

For more information and to see the complete 2016 Top School Districts in Alabama list, visit K12.niche.com/rankings/public-school-districts/best-overall/s/alabama/.