Best Public Schools in Rocky Face, GA

Westside Elementary School and Westside Middle School serve approximately 977 students in Rocky Face, Georgia, a small city within the Whitfield County school district, which ranks in the 53rd percentile statewide.

Westside Middle School is the clear standout in this community. It has earned a 4-star rating for three consecutive years and currently ranks in the 83rd percentile statewide (101st of 578 Georgia middle schools). This is especially impressive given that nearly 85% of its students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school dramatically outperforms state averages across all subjects, with particularly striking results in 8th grade science (51.4% proficient vs. 29.7% statewide) and 8th grade math (66% vs. 46.3% statewide). Its science program has been exceptional for two consecutive years, and last year's ELA scores also exceeded state averages by 4.4 to 8.8 percentage points across all middle school grades. In contrast, Westside Elementary holds a 3-star rating but has slipped from the 57th to the 46th percentile over the past year. The elementary school shows pockets of strength—5th grade math (46% proficient, above state average) and 4th grade ELA (42.4%, above state)—but struggles in 3rd and 4th grade math, where it trails district averages by 7 to 7.5 percentage points. A dramatic 18.8-point drop in 4th grade math proficiency from the prior year is a notable concern.

Chronic absenteeism tells a tale of two schools: Westside Elementary's rate of 8.1% is less than half the state average (17.7%), while Westside Middle's rate of 13.2% exceeds the district average (12.7%). The elementary school also spends more per student ($14,397 vs. $13,083) and has a slightly better student-teacher ratio (12.8:1 vs. 14.0:1), yet the middle school's academic outcomes are far superior. For parents, this means Westside Middle offers exceptional value and consistent high performance, while Westside Elementary provides strong attendance and select subject strengths but faces recent challenges in early-grade math that warrant attention. Current-year ELA data will be released in December and will provide a more complete picture.