Middle Schools in Appling County

Appling County is home to a single middle school, Appling County Middle School, which serves grades 6 through 8 and enrolls 759 students in the Baxley area. This school is the sole middle school in the Appling County district, so its performance directly defines the district's middle school profile.

Appling County Middle School is on a remarkable upward trajectory, climbing from the 57th percentile in state rankings in 2023-2024 to the 82nd percentile in 2025-2026—a jump of 149 positions in just two years. The school now holds a 4-star rating and outperforms state averages in nearly every subject. Its greatest strength is 8th-grade science, where 46.3% of students are proficient, a full 16.6 points above the state average. Mathematics is also a consistent standout, with proficiency rates increasing by grade level—from 49.1% in 6th grade to 57.4% in 8th grade—and each grade exceeding state averages by 8 to 11 points. Social studies proficiency (54.5%) also beats the state by 14.3 points. The school achieves these results while serving a student population where 100% are eligible for free/reduced lunch, and it maintains a favorable 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio with per-student spending of $13,150.

The one area of concern is English Language Arts (ELA), where the most recent data from 2024-2025 shows a troubling pattern: proficiency declines from 44.5% in 6th grade to 36.6% in 7th grade and just 30.2% in 8th grade, falling 9.6 points below the state average at the 8th-grade level. This contrasts sharply with the school's math performance, where 8th graders excel. Chronic absenteeism (16.1%) is slightly better than the state average (17.7%), suggesting attendance is not a barrier. With its strong upward momentum and clear strengths in science and math, Appling County Middle School is well-positioned for continued improvement, and the upcoming December ELA release will be key to seeing if the school can address its weakest subject.