Best Public Schools in Temple, GA

The city of Temple, Georgia, is served by six public schools spanning Pre-K through 12th grade, with a total enrollment of approximately 3,600 students across two districts: Carroll County and Paulding County.

For parents, the standout elementary option is Providence Elementary School, which holds the highest state ranking in the group (74th percentile, 4 stars) and posts the best 3rd-grade math proficiency at 68.2%—well above the district and state averages. Temple Elementary School leads in 5th-grade science (66.3%) and has the lowest chronic absenteeism (11.0%) among all six schools. Union Elementary School spends the most per student ($17,862) but produces mid-pack results, while Temple Middle School clearly outperforms Villa Rica Middle by 20-30 percentage points in most subjects, including a 46.2% vs. 14.6% gap in 8th-grade science. Temple Middle also achieved a perfect 100% proficiency rate on the Algebra I End-of-Course exam, though this reflects a highly selective group of advanced students. At the high school level, Temple High School boasts an exceptional 98.9% graduation rate—nearly 12 points above the state—but its Algebra I (30.7%) and Biology (37.2%) proficiency rates lag state averages, and its chronic absenteeism rate of 23.6% is the highest in the area.

Overall, Temple’s elementary schools are a consistent strength, all earning 4-star ratings, while secondary schools show more variation. Chronic absenteeism rises sharply with grade level, from 11% at Temple Elementary to 23.6% at Temple High, a trend worth monitoring. The spending-performance paradox is notable: Union Elementary spends 60% more per student than Temple High yet achieves comparable results, and Temple Elementary delivers strong outcomes with 29% less funding than Union. Economic disadvantage rates range from 36.75% at Temple High to over 50% at Temple and Union Elementary, yet the higher-disadvantage elementary schools still perform well academically, suggesting effective instructional programs are mitigating challenges.