Washington County

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Chatom, Alabama - 7 schools

An equity score of 54/100 ranks Washington County #66 of 146 districts in Alabama (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,639 per pupil, Washington County ranks #92 of 146 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending (Alabama districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,530
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$11,639
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Washington County operates 7 public schools serving 2,530 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 7 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Washington County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,639 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 146 Alabama districts by per-pupil spending. See how Alabama compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 22.9% local, 58.6% state, and 18.5% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 54/100, ranked #66 of 146 in Alabama against a state average of 51, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 350.1:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 22.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 56.9% White, 27.2% African American, 1.5% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Mcintosh Elementary School, with a diversity index of 67.0/100.

Its largest campus is Millry High School, enrolling 509 students (21% of the district's total enrollment).

Millry High School accounts for 20.1% of all Washington County student enrollment

That concentration means Washington County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Washington County school enrollment varies 2.9× across entities

Washington County school enrollment ranges from 175 students (lowest) to 509 students (highest), a spread of 334 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Washington County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 65.6% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Washington County student-counselor ratio is 350:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Washington County chronic absenteeism rate is 22.8% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Washington County is typically wider than the Washington County-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

18.5%
Federal
58.6%
State
22.9%
Local

Funding Equity

54
Equity Score
66 / 146
State Rank
51
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 7 schools in Washington County.

White 56.9%
Hispanic or Latino 1.5%
African American 27.2%
Multiracial 3.7%
Other 10.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 47.7/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Washington County's schools, above the Alabama average of 42.5.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Mcintosh Elementary School 67.0
  2. 2 Leroy High School 56.9
  3. 3 Mcintosh High School 55.3
  4. 4 Washington County High School 44.0
  5. 5 Fruitdale High School 42.1

Programs & Resources

350.1:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
22.8%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Washington County

School Enrollment
Millry High School
509
Leroy High School
463
Washington County High School
395
Chatom Elementary School
313
Fruitdale High School
301
Mcintosh Elementary School
234
Mcintosh High School
175

How Washington County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Alabama districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Henry County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Cleburne County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Dallas County Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Selma City Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Boaz City Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Washington County's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Alabama

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Mobile County
51,979 students · 92 schools · $12,163/pupil
Compare vs Washington County →
Jefferson County
35,951 students · 57 schools · $11,497/pupil
Compare vs Washington County →
Baldwin County
31,517 students · 45 schools · $11,999/pupil
Compare vs Washington County →
Montgomery County
26,821 students · 52 schools · $11,430/pupil
Compare vs Washington County →
Huntsville City
23,776 students · 45 schools · $12,033/pupil
Compare vs Washington County →

Compare Washington County

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Mobile County →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Washington County?

Washington County has 7 schools, including 7 combined. Total enrollment is 2,530 students.

How much does Washington County spend per student?

Washington County spends $11,639 per student. The district has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #66 in Alabama.

What is the demographic composition of Washington County?

Washington County students are 56.9% White, 27.2% African American, 1.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Washington County?

Washington County has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #66 out of 146 districts in Alabama.