Summary:
The Washington County school district in rural Alabama serves approximately 2,390 students across 7 schools, including two elementary schools, two traditional high schools, and three PK-12 alternative schools, and currently holds a 2-star rating (95th of 139 districts statewide).
For parents, the standout choice is Chatom Elementary School, which earns a 4-star rating and ranks in the 79th percentile statewide, with an exceptional 90.2% 3rd-grade English proficiency rate—more than 25 points above the state average. The most dramatic improvement story is McIntosh Elementary School, which jumped 213 positions in statewide rankings over two years, from the 4th to the 35th percentile, with 4th-grade science proficiency soaring from 15.79% to 51.61%. However, Washington County High School has declined sharply, dropping from a 4-star to a 2-star rating and falling 121 spots in a single year. For high school graduation, Leroy High School and Fruitdale High School both boast perfect 100% rates, while Millry High School follows at 97.4%—all well above the district average of 95.1% and the state's 91.5%.
The district's biggest red flag is a "middle school cliff": while elementary students (3rd-5th grade) perform at or above state averages in English and math, proficiency collapses in 6th-8th grades, with 7th-grade math at just 3.98% versus 24.46% statewide. Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide crisis, with every school reporting rates at least 2.4 times the state average of 12%, led by McIntosh High School at 36.3%. Interestingly, McIntosh High School receives the highest per-student funding ($12,207) yet shows the lowest proficiency, while Leroy High School receives the least ($8,285) but achieves a 100% graduation rate. The alternative schools (Millry, Leroy, and Fruitdale) outperform traditional high schools in several metrics, suggesting smaller, more personalized environments may benefit students here.
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