Best Public Schools in Cairo, GA

The city of Cairo, Georgia, is served by four schools within the Grady County School District, which together educate roughly 3,293 students across elementary, middle, and high school grades in a predominantly rural, economically diverse community.

For parents, the standout story is Washington Middle School’s remarkable Algebra I program, where 100% of tested students scored proficient or above—more than double the state average of 48.1%—and this follows a 95.8% proficiency rate the prior year. However, this strength is uneven: only 25.8% of 6th graders and 32% of 7th graders meet grade-level math standards, suggesting the school excels at accelerating its top students while many others struggle. Cairo High School is the district’s most stable performer, ranking in the 51st percentile (3 stars) with a 90.3% graduation rate and a 1.3% dropout rate—both better than state averages—though its US History proficiency (25.8%) lags far behind the state (38.5%). Among elementary schools, Eastside Elementary School is improving, jumping 194 spots in state rankings to the 40th percentile, while Southside Elementary School is declining, dropping 122 spots to the 21st percentile (1 star) with 5th grade science proficiency falling from 39.1% to 15.9%.

Science is the district’s biggest weakness: every science assessment falls well below state averages, with 8th grade science at Washington Middle at just 10.9% versus the state’s 29.7%. Notably, Southside spends the most per student ($13,522) and has the smallest class sizes, yet posts the lowest rankings, while Cairo High spends the least ($10,266) and ranks highest—suggesting resources alone don’t drive outcomes. On a positive note, all four schools have chronic absenteeism rates below the state’s 17.7%, indicating strong attendance. For parents, this district offers a high school with solid graduation rates and a middle school with an exceptional advanced math track, but families should be aware of significant gaps in science and grade-level math proficiency, especially at Southside.