The Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering (ASCTE) is a high school located in Huntsville, Alabama, United States. Founded in 2018, it is the first tuition-free residential high school focused on the integration of cyber technology and engineering across all academic disciplines. The school focuses on teaching various topics relating to cyber, technology, and engineering, integrating such topics into core classes. The school is a magnet school which serves the entire state of Alabama. It requires an application, including both written and visual (video) statements of interest. It receives funding through the Alabama Department of Education for overhead costs, and through sponsorships of major companies, in exchange for students to intern at those companies their senior year.
Academics ASCTE offers core classes, as well as additional topic-specific classes related to cyber, technology, and engineering. These classes include Mathematics, Science, English, History, Cyber, and Engineering. The school operates on trimesters, and each class (except for senior level classes) takes two terms to complete. This allows students who start as freshman to do four years of classes in three years. Should a student start as a sophomore, they will be placed in freshman level classes, with the exception of English Language classes. At the start of their senior year, the student will have finished four courses of English Language and three courses of every other subject.
Students who start as freshman will spend their entire senior year doing an internship at one of ASCTE's several sponsors. Notable sponsors include Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Leidos, and RTX. This is preceded by a capstone project chosen by the student. For students who start in their sophomore year, in their first semester they take the last courses needed for graduation in addition to completing their capstone project. They then complete a shorter internship in their last semester.
Student life ASCTE students can choose to either live on campus in a dormitory, or to matriculate to and from the school. Residential students do not have to pay for boarding unless they live within a 25-mile radius of the ASCTE campus. Food is provided for a meal fee of $1,400 per year for commuter students (breakfast and lunch), and $2,000 per year for residential students (breakfast, lunch, dinner on weekdays; brunch and dinner on weekends). Activities are regularly hosted, although most events are exclusive to residential students. The activity fee is $150 per year for commuter students and $300 per year for residential students.
History
On January 9, 2018, Governor Kay Ivy gave her State of the State address. During this address, the Governor announced her intent to create ASCTE and for it to be based in Huntsville. ASCTE was founded by Senate Bill 212, Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering in 2018 after efforts by Cyber Huntsville, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce, and The Alabama School of Cyber and Engineering Foundation. The bill was sponsored by Alabama Senator Arthur Orr and Alabama Representative Anthony Daniels. ASCTE's funding first came from House Bill 175, the Education Budget, which was also signed by Governor Kay Ivey. Although founded in 2018, ASCTE never had a dedicated campus until 2022. ASCTE's new campus consists of spaces for classrooms, speakers, metalworking, and housing. The large windowed space at the front of ASCTE's campus overlooking U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s replica of the Saturn V is dubbed the "Schola" by teachers and students alike. The student activities center includes a gymnasium, a wide range of office spaces, and student lounges. ASCTE President Matt Massey described the upcoming student activities center as "a hub where talent will flourish, passions will be nurtured, and friendships will be forged."
In early January 2026, the student activities center, known colloquially as the "Sentinel Center", had its first home basketball game. On April 17, 2026, ASCTE held its official ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new girls' dorm and national research facility. The ceremony was attended by Hank Isenberg, Tommy Battle, Arthur Orr, and several other notable individuals. The building was dubbed the "Isenberg Institute" after Hank Isenberg's $3 million donation.
Isenberg Institute The Isenberg Institute is a planned research center, named after Hank Isenberg's $3 million donation. The Isenberg Institute will be one of the first research centers for a secondary school. The research center will focus on fields such as, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and cybersecurity. Along with conducting research in these fields, the Isenberg Institute will also help other ASCTE goals to spread STEM and cybersecurity to other schools for the entire state of Alabama through their ACCEL program. Additionally, the Isenberg Institute is part of a larger strategic plan by ASCTE to establish more connections with world class research, publish findings from the Isenberg Institute, and to provide students with paths to acquire patents and protect their intellectual rights. ASCTE's 2025-2030 Strategic Plan states that they want to be the first secondary school to achieve recognition as a research center.
Clubs ASCTE clubs include SGA, Garden Club, Drama, Scholars Bowl, Drone Racing, Yearbook, CyberPatriot, Present Day Disciples, Board Games, Girls Fitness, Literary, First Tech Challenge, Band, Beta Club, Ambassadors, Radio, Sentinel Service club, Mu Alpha Theta, Chess Club, and Rocketry.
+ First Tech Challenge past results for ASCTE Team 2023–2024 2024–2025 2025–2026 World percentage Position at Alabama State Championship qualifiers World percentage Position at Alabama State Championship qualifiers World percentage Position at Alabama State Championship qualifiers Ceaser Circuitry 83.37% 9th 84.71% 11th 73.80% 8th Guardians of the Cyberspace 28.02% 17th 73.48% 4th 28.02% 17th Cybersteel N/A N/A N/A N/A 76.51% 10th
Went to FIRST World Championship Went to FIRST Premier Event Won Alabama State Championship robot game finals Past results for ASCTE Greenpower + #Note ASCTE has only raced in the modified division Season and national ranking 2024–2025 2025–2026 ASCTE Team 100 27 22 ASCTE Team 97 24 23
Athletics On November 7, 2025, ASCTE played New Century Technology High School in a game of Ultimate Frisbee for New Century homecoming game, leading to a 14–6 victory for ASCTE. ASCTE offers many sports for their students including for fall, Cross Country, Volleyball, and Swim. ASCTE winter sports include basketball, bowling, indoor track, wrestling, and cheer. ASCTE spring sports include archery, soccer, outdoor track, and tennis.
Note: data is likely incomplete.
+ ASCTE athletic records Sport Overall record Overall winning percentage Best season Best season record Best season winning percentage V basketball 36–52 .409 2024–25 14–8 .636 JV basketball 4–4 .500 2024–25 2–1 .667 V soccer 20–35–1 .366 2025–26 8–6 .571 JV soccer 5–9–3 .381 2021–22 3–3–1 .500 Girls' basketball 0–54 .000 2021–22 0–4 .000 Girls' soccer 13–41 .241 2025–26 8–7 .533 V volleyball 46–33 .582 2025–26 15–7 .682
Note: data is likely incomplete.
+ ASCTE athletics by season Year Girls' basketball V basketball JV basketball V soccer Girls' soccer Volleyball JV soccer 2021–22 0–4 0–6 0–2 3–3 1–9 0–7 3–3–1 2022–23 0–11 0–11 0–0 2–11 2–10 10–9 1–3–1 2023–24 0–9 5–14 2–1 3–9 1–7 6–3 0–1 2024–25 0–17 14–8 2–1 4–6–1 1–8 15–7 1–0 2025–26 0–23 17–13 0–0 8–6 8–7 15–7 0–1–1
References