McIntosh High School

McIntosh High School is a small, rural school in Mc Intosh, AL, serving just 175 students in grades 6 through 12 as part of the Washington County district.

This school is facing serious academic challenges. Test scores are dramatically below state averages across nearly every subject and grade level. For example, only about 4% of 11th graders are proficient in math, compared to 27% statewide, and just 8% are proficient in English versus 34% statewide. The school currently ranks in the bottom 7th percentile in Alabama, a steep decline from its mid-pack ranking just a few years ago. A major factor is extreme chronic absenteeism—36% of students missed significant school time last year, triple the state rate, and that number spiked to a staggering 56% the year before. Graduation rates have also been volatile, swinging from 96% to 68% in a single year, though they have recently recovered to around 91%.

It's helpful to compare this school to Washington County High School, located just 20 miles away in the same district. That school has far better outcomes—28% of its 11th graders are proficient in English versus 8% at McIntosh—despite serving a similar rural population. Interestingly, McIntosh actually spends more per student ($12,207) than Washington County High ($9,113), yet achieves much weaker results. This suggests the core issues aren't about funding but rather about attendance and student engagement. There are a few bright spots, like 8th grade English where 33% of students are proficient, showing that improvement is possible. For parents, this is a school where you'll want to be very proactive about attendance and seek out additional academic support at home.