By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

Several local school districts have some of the top teachers in the state, according to a ranking recently conducted by a national website.

The Niche.com website recently released its 2018 list of the “Districts with the best teachers in Alabama,” and multiple school districts serving Shelby County students made the cut.

“Explore the districts with the best teachers serving your area,” read the website. “Ranking based on student and parent ratings of teachers, teacher salaries, teacher absenteeism, teacher tenure, student-teacher ratio and the Niche Academics Grade for the district.”

For each school system, the rankings are based 30 percent on the academics grade, 25 percent on parent and student surveys of teachers, 15 percent on teacher absenteeism, 10 percent each for teacher salary index – meaning the salary compared to the county’s median household income – and teachers in their first or second year and 5 percent each for average teacher salary and student-teacher ratio.

Hoover City Schools ranked the highest among districts serving Shelby County, coming in at No. 7 on the Niche.com ranking. HCS earned an overall grade of A-plus, a teacher grade of A-plus and a student-teacher ratio of 15:1, according to the site.

Alabaster City Schools came in at No. 26 on the list, earning the next-highest ranking among school systems serving Shelby County. ACS earned an overall grade of A-minus, a teacher grade of A-minus and had a student-teacher ratio of 17:1, read the website.

Leeds City Schools, which serves some students in northeastern Shelby County, came in at No. 51 on the list, posting an overall grade of B-minus, a teacher grade of B-plus and a student-teacher ratio of 21:1.

Shelby County Schools ranked No. 62 on the list, posting an overall grade of B-plus, a teacher grade of B and a student-teacher ratio of 17:1, according to the website.

To view the entire state rankings, visit Niche.com/k12/search/best-teachers-school-districts/s/alabama.