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#1032 of 1,356 schools in AL

Matthews Elementary School

Elementary School · Tuscaloosa County · Northport, AL

A Tuscaloosa County elementary school where students score 8 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1225 Rice Mine Road, Northport, AL 35476

  • Math 12% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 69% vs AL 87% (2024)
  • 17:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.2Below Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-4.59 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics6.4Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency12% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency69% (2024 ACAP)
Reading vs. State Avg-13.8 pts
Overall Proficiency41% (2024 ACAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)33% (model expectation from 2024 ACAP)
vs. Expected+7.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile48th
Resources & Environment5.5Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17:1
District spending per student$11,564
Chronic Absenteeism25.4%

Students at Matthews Elementary School score 41% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 33%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 ACAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. AL average.

Math Proficiency12%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency69%(2024 ACAP)
School
State
87%(2024 ACAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 57 points since 2020, reaching 69% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2010
Math
77%
ELA
77%
2011
Math
87%
ELA
82%
2012
Math
82%
ELA
72%
2013
Math
27%
ELA
12%
2014
Math
24%
ELA
12%
2015
Math
19%
ELA
15%
2016
Math
17%
ELA
11%
2017
Math
20%
ELA
16%
2018
Math
19%
ELA
18%
2019
Math
19%
ELA
18%
2020*
Math
6%
ELA
19%
2021*
Math
6%
ELA
19%
2022
Math
12%
ELA
32%
2024
ELA
69%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 36% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 39% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 30 test records from AL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

88.7%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Matthews Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 43Car-Dependent
  • Bike 42Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low247/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$59,545

Median home value

$196,800

Median rent

$940/mo

College educated

23.1%

Homeownership

38.1%

Poverty rate

24.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 35476; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Lloyd Wood Education CenterEnrollment path unverified5.2PK–121.0 mi186Compare →
The Capitol SchoolPrivate · tuition6.8privatePK–121.0 mi121Compare →
Crestmont Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.3PK–41.4 mi290Compare →
Central Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.0PK–51.5 mi301Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Tuscaloosa County

Schools in district
36
Rank in district
#24 of 35
District spending per student
$11,564NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Matthews Elementary School is listed in Tuscaloosa County; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Matthews Elementary School

Matthews Elementary School is a public elementary school in Northport, AL, part of Tuscaloosa County, serving approximately 390 students in grades Pre-K-4th with a 17:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.1 out of 10 and ranks #1,032 of 1,356 schools in AL. State assessment records show 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Matthews Elementary School

What grades does Matthews Elementary School serve?

Matthews Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 4th.

How many students attend Matthews Elementary School?

Matthews Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 390 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Matthews Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Matthews Elementary School is 17:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Matthews Elementary School rank in AL?

Matthews Elementary School ranks #1,032 of 1,356 schools in AL.

What is Matthews Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Matthews Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Matthews Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Matthews Elementary School has 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Matthews Elementary School a charter school?

No, Matthews Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Matthews Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Matthews Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Matthews Elementary School?

88.7% of students at Matthews Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 4th
Enrollment
390
Student-Teacher Ratio
17:1
Teachers (FTE)
23
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Tuscaloosa County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
25.4%
Area population (ZIP 35476)
8,568
Area median age
35.4
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 ACAP · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 35476; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022, multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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