State Specialty Schools II- Statesboro STEAM Academy

Statesboro STEAM Academy is a single public specialty school in the State Specialty Schools II- Statesboro STEAM Academy district, serving grades 5 through 12 with 195 students in Statesboro, Georgia.

This small school stands out for its exceptional attendance and graduation outcomes. The school reports a perfect 100% graduation rate, far exceeding the state average of 87.2%, and a chronic absenteeism rate of just 0.9% compared to the state's 17.7%. These figures suggest a highly engaged student body. Academically, the school shows a clear split between its high school and middle school performance. High school courses are strong, with Biology End of Course proficiency at 50% (above the state's 47.2%) and American Literature at 42.9% in the prior year. However, middle school math proficiency lags significantly, with 4th grade math at 6.7%, 7th grade math at 8.7%, and 6th grade math at 11.1%—all well below state averages. The one bright spot in middle grades is 8th grade science, where 36.4% proficiency beats the state's 29.7%.

The most striking finding is the school's rapid improvement. From 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, proficiency jumped dramatically across nearly every subject: Biology rose 30 points, 8th grade science rose 25.7 points, 8th grade social studies rose 23.2 points, and 8th grade math rose 19.6 points. This propelled the school from a 1-star to a 3-star rating, moving from the 26th to the 50th percentile statewide. With a favorable 10.7:1 student-teacher ratio and per-student spending of $15,454, the school has solid resources. However, given only 195 students spread across 8 grade levels, cohorts are very small (roughly 20-25 students per grade), so year-to-year swings can be volatile. Still, the overall trajectory is decidedly positive, and if this momentum continues, Statesboro STEAM Academy could become a model for how specialty schools drive improvement through strong attendance and focused instruction.