Best Public Schools in Buford, GA

The city of Buford, Georgia, is served by 12 schools across three districts—Gwinnett County, Buford City, and Hall County—encompassing elementary, middle, and high schools for roughly 15,500 students.

The Buford City district is the standout performer, ranked 2nd in the state. Its schools lead the area: Buford Middle School ranks 9th in Georgia, Buford High School ranks 23rd, and Buford Senior Academy ranks 116th—all earning 5 stars. Buford High School graduates 93.3% of students, and chronic absenteeism across Buford City schools is remarkably low, with Buford Elementary School at just 3.4% versus the state’s 17.7%. In Gwinnett County, Ivy Creek Elementary School (ranked 74th) and Twin Rivers Middle School (ranked 111th) are strong options. Seckinger High School posts the highest graduation rate in the dataset at 97.4%, though its chronic absenteeism (17.5%) is a concern. Friendship Elementary School in Hall County is the clear outlier, ranking 755th with just 22.8% proficiency in 5th-grade science.

Middle schools here excel in advanced coursework: Twin Rivers Middle School and Buford Middle School both hit 100% proficiency in Algebra I, far above the state’s 48.1%. Ivy Creek Elementary School shines in science with 75.5% proficiency. There is a consistent gap between districts—for example, 8th-grade math proficiency is 88.9% at Buford Middle School versus 70.4% at Twin Rivers Middle School. Spending varies widely, from $23,993 per student at Buford Elementary School to $12,081 at Buford Senior Academy, yet outcomes don’t always follow funding. Overall, Buford offers excellent schooling, but families should weigh district differences and specific school strengths carefully.