Mckenzie High School, Mckenzie AL

Original Research by School Decision on Mckenzie High School

McKenzie High School is a regular public school serving all grades from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in the rural town of McKenzie, Alabama. It is the single school in this small community and operates under the Butler County school system. With an enrollment that covers every grade band, the school functions as the primary educational facility for local families, from early childhood through high school graduation.

The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of Black students and very small numbers of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating a community with significant economic need. The school overall is small for a pre-K through 12 institution, meaning grade-level cohorts are modest, and students move through the building with largely the same peers from year to year.

On the most recent state assessments, results present a mixed picture that varies notably by grade and subject. In the early elementary years, reading proficiency was very strong, with the vast majority of third graders meeting the bar and strong showings continuing through fourth and fifth grade. Mathematics in those early grades was also a relative strength, particularly in third grade, where proficiency was high. As students moved into middle school, performance dropped considerably. By seventh and eighth grade, math proficiency levels were low, as was reading in eighth grade. Science results, available for fourth and eighth graders, showed low proficiency at both grade levels. Because only one year of assessment data was available for this school, it is not possible to tell whether these patterns reflect a long-term trend or a single year’s result. A parent considering the school would want to ask how the middle grades handle core instruction and whether there are intervention programs in place for students who are not yet on grade level.

The high school graduation rate was not available in the data provided. State testing data for high school grades was also not present, which is typical in some states where end-of-course exams are reported differently. The school’s small size means that course offerings could be a concern for families who want a wide range of advanced, elective, or career pathways. No specific program data was available, so a parent should ask directly about Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, and career and technical education options, especially since the school is the only secondary option in town.

McKenzie itself is a small, rural town straddling the Butler-Conecuh county line. It originated as a railroad depot settlement and has a quiet character. The economy leans heavily on manufacturing, with education and health care also employing a share of residents. The town has experienced population decline over recent years, and the housing market reflects that contraction, with property values well below state and national benchmarks. The town’s built environment is low-density, spread along highway corridors, and there is no public transit. Festival Park provides a civic gathering space, and the school itself, listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage, sits within the town’s core. Families will find a close-knit setting where the school is a central institution, but the limited employment base and population loss suggest a cautious economic outlook.

No recent changes within the Butler County district were found in publicly reported sources, so the district context appears stable but without notable new initiatives or restructuring. In this rural setting, McKenzie High School offers a full pre-K through 12 pathway in a single building, with early-grade reading as a clear strength and middle-grade academics as an area a family would want to explore in more depth.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

>=80%Cohort of 24 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

373 schools plotted. 7 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 384%

School 84% · District 58% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▲ 41 pts above state median

Grade 461%

School 61% · District 36% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median

Grade 553%

School 53% · District 17% · ▲ 36 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median

Grade 651%

School 51% · District 18% · ▲ 34 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median

Grade 729%

School 29% · District 7% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median

Grade 823%

School 23% · District 9% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 391%

School 91% · District 70% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median

Grade 474%

School 74% · District 53% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median

Grade 582%

School 82% · District 47% · ▲ 35 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median

Grade 663%

School 63% · District 38% · ▲ 25 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median

Grade 759%

School 59% · District 41% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median

Grade 849%

School 49% · District 34% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median

Science

Grade 436%

School 36% · District 32% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median

Grade 833%

School 33% · District 20% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median

This schoolButler County, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.