Summary:
Baxley, Georgia, is served by four public schools within the Appling County district, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the 78th percentile statewide, covering elementary through high school for roughly 3,266 students, nearly all of whom come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
The standout performer is Appling County Middle School, which has climbed from the 57th to the 82nd percentile in two years and now exceeds state averages in every subject, with particularly strong 8th grade science (46.3% vs. 29.7% state) and social studies (54.5% vs. 40.2% state). In contrast, Appling County High School posts a remarkable 99.2% graduation rate—12 points above the state—but struggles on end-of-course exams, falling below state averages in Biology (36.6% vs. 47.2%) and U.S. History (34.1% vs. 38.5%). Among the two elementary schools, Appling County Elementary School is the larger and more consistent option, exceeding state averages in all tested subjects, including 4th grade math (63.3% vs. 50.1% state), while Altamaha Elementary School shows wider swings—excelling in 5th grade math (58.4% vs. 44.1% state) but lagging in 4th grade math (36.6% vs. 50.1% state) and 5th grade science (35.8% vs. 44.2% state).
A clear pattern emerges: performance relative to the state peaks in middle school and declines by high school, where chronic absenteeism spikes to 25.3%—more than double the elementary rates of 10.3% and 11.2%. The district’s high school also spends less per student ($13,236) than the elementary schools, and the middle school achieves its strong results with the lowest spending ($13,150) and best student-teacher ratio (11.8). Despite these challenges, the district outperforms state averages in most elementary and middle school subjects, proving that high-poverty schools can succeed, though the high school’s academic gaps and absenteeism remain key areas for improvement.
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