Best Public Schools in Adel, GA

Adel, Georgia, is served by two schools within the Cook County school district, which holds a 3-star rating and ranks 74th out of 201 districts statewide, covering grades PK-2 at Cook Primary School and grades 9-12 at Cook High School, with no standalone middle school in the city itself.

For parents, Cook High School is the clear standout, earning a 4-star rating and jumping from 185th to 100th in state rankings in a single year. Its graduation rate is exceptional at 98.5%, well above the state's 87.2%, and its Algebra I proficiency soared to 71.9%—nearly 24 points above the state average. However, performance is uneven: Biology and U.S. History only slightly exceed state averages, while American Literature lags at 32.9% versus the state's 40.4%. The school also faces attendance challenges, with a 20% chronic absenteeism rate that exceeds both district and state levels, yet it still manages to graduate students at a remarkably high rate. Meanwhile, Cook Primary School serves a high-need population with 100% free/reduced lunch eligibility, but invests heavily in early education, spending $16,281 per student—over $4,000 more than the high school—and maintains a lower student-teacher ratio of 12.5:1, with chronic absenteeism (16.7%) below state averages.

Key takeaways for families include a dramatic 30-point improvement in Algebra I at the high school, suggesting recent instructional changes are working, though other subjects remain closer to state norms. The district's performance is essentially driven by the high school, as its scores mirror district averages exactly in most subjects. The lack of a local middle school means students in grades 3-8 must travel to other Cook County schools, which could affect instructional continuity. Overall, Adel offers a strong high school option with standout math results and a high graduation rate, paired with a well-funded primary school that supports a high-poverty student body effectively, though families should be aware of the attendance gap and the need to plan for middle school transitions outside the city.