Ridgecrest Elementary School vs. Mcdonnell Elementary School
Should you attend Ridgecrest Elementary School or Mcdonnell Elementary School? Visitors to our site frequently compare these two schools. Compare their rankings, test scores, reviews and more to help you determine which school is the best choice for you.
School Overview
School
Top Rankings
Ridgecrest Elementary School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Alabama for:
Category
Attribute
Diversity
Percent Eligible For Free Lunch
Mcdonnell Elementary School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Alabama for:
Category
Attribute
Diversity
Percent Eligible For Free Lunch
Overview
Ridgecrest Elementary School ranked #1034 in Alabama in 2023, declining from #702 in 2012, placing it in the bottom 50% of state public schools, indicating a downward trend in overall performance.
Math proficiency was 9%, lower than the state average of 30% in 2023, with reading proficiency at 25–29%, lower than the state average of 47%, and science proficiency at 20–24%, lower than the state average of 38%, reflecting ongoing challenges in test scores.
Enrollment remained stable near 506 students in 2023 with a student–teacher ratio of 16:1; minority enrollment was high at 87%, and over 81% of students qualified for free lunch, showing socioeconomic shifts toward higher need populations.
The school serves grades Pre–K through 5th grade as a Title I eligible institution within the Huntsville City education agency, with no virtual instruction offered.
Ridgecrest Elementary is among Alabama's most diverse elementary schools and ranks in the top 20% for the largest percentage of students eligible for free lunch among public schools.
Mcdonnell Elementary School ranked #971 in Alabama in 2023, showing a slight improvement from #1030 in 2022, but remaining in the bottom half statewide among Union County NJ high schools.
Math proficiency ranged from 10–14%, reading proficiency from 25–29%, and science proficiency from 6–9%, all lower than the Alabama state averages in recent reporting years.
Enrollment was 445 students from Pre–K through 5th grade, with a student–teacher ratio of 18:1; minority enrollment was approximately 90%, with a high percentage (over 80%) eligible for free or reduced–price lunch.
Between 2015 and 2023, enrollment declined from 625 to around 445 students while the percentage of students eligible for free lunch increased from 57% to above 80%, indicating socioeconomic shifts at this Huntsville public elementary school.
Grades Offered
PK-5
PK-5
Total Students
506 students
445 students
% Male | % Female
51% | 49%
52% | 48%
Total Classroom Teachers
31 teachers
25 teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
18:1
Test Scores
Overall Testing Rank
#1034 out of 1275 schools in AL
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
#971 out of 1275 schools in AL
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
9%
10-14%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
25-29%
25-29%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
20-24%
6-9%
Students by Grade
Students by Grade
Pre-K Students
32
34
Kindergarten Students
81
75
Grade 1 Students
88
70
Grade 2 Students
88
78
Grade 3 Students
75
72
Grade 4 Students
68
67
Grade 5 Students
74
49
Students by Ethnicity
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
n/a
% Hispanic
52%
58%
% Black
31%
29%
% White
13%
10%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
3%
Diversity Score
0.62
0.57
Additional Information
Eligible for Free Lunch
84%
87%
Eligible for Reduced Lunch
4%
2%
