Best Public Schools in Demorest, GA

Demorest, Georgia is home to three schools within the Habersham County School District, serving students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade in a small, close-knit community where all three schools serve predominantly economically disadvantaged populations, with 92-96% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

Hilliard A. Wilbanks Middle School stands out as an Algebra I powerhouse, achieving a remarkable 97.7% proficiency rate in 2025-2026 (and a perfect 100% the prior year) – nearly 50 points above the state average. However, this exceptional advanced math performance contrasts sharply with its grade-level math scores (39-45% proficient), which lag district averages across all three middle school grades. The school does show relative strength in 8th-grade science and social studies, both exceeding state averages. Meanwhile, Demorest Elementary School and Fairview Elementary School present an interesting contrast: Fairview leads in 5th-grade math (56.4% proficient, 12.3 points above state) while Demorest excels in 5th-grade science (48.6% proficient, 4.4 points above state). Fairview also spends the most per student ($15,965) yet shows mixed results, while Demorest achieves comparable outcomes with nearly $2,500 less per student.

All three schools boast impressively low chronic absenteeism rates (9.9-13.2%) compared to the state average of 17.7%, despite high poverty levels – a testament to strong family engagement. Demorest Elementary showed the most dramatic year-over-year change, with 4th-grade math proficiency dropping 18 points from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, though its 3rd-grade math remained stable. For parents, this district offers solid elementary options with different grade-level strengths, while the middle school provides exceptional opportunities for advanced math students even as it works to support its broader student population in foundational mathematics.