McIntosh Elementary School

McIntosh Elementary School in Mc Intosh, AL, is a small PK-5 school in the Washington County district, serving 234 students in a high-poverty community where 73% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The most exciting news for parents is the school's dramatic academic turnaround. After ranking in the bottom 5% of Alabama elementary schools for several years, McIntosh jumped from the 11th to the 35th percentile statewide between the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years, earning a 2-star rating (up from 0 stars). The biggest gains came in math—4th grade proficiency more than tripled from 10.5% to 38.7%, and 5th grade math nearly doubled. The school also shows a notable strength in 4th grade science, where proficiency (51.6%) actually exceeds the state average (50.2%). With a favorable student-teacher ratio of 15.9:1, class sizes are manageable, and the school's recent success suggests instructional changes are taking hold.

However, chronic absenteeism remains the school's biggest challenge. At 35.7%, it's nearly three times the state average (12%) and higher than nearby Calcedeaver Elementary School (11.6%), which serves a similar demographic just 12 miles away. Calcedeaver outperforms McIntosh in most subjects, showing what's possible with better attendance. The contrast with Chatom Elementary School, the other Washington County school, is also stark—Chatom ranks in the 79th percentile with 90.2% 3rd grade English proficiency, though it has a much lower poverty rate (50.8%). For parents, the message is clear: McIntosh is improving rapidly, and if the school can tackle its attendance crisis while maintaining academic momentum, it has strong potential to keep climbing.