Summary:
The State Specialty Schools II- Atlanta SMART Academy district contains a single middle school, Atlanta SMART Academy, which serves grades 5 through 8 in the Atlanta area with a total enrollment of 221 students.
Atlanta SMART Academy faces significant academic challenges, ranking in the 13th percentile statewide for the 2025-2026 school year, down from the 26th percentile the prior year. The school trails state averages by 16 to 31 percentage points across all tested subjects. For example, only 15.4% of 6th graders and 11.9% of 7th graders are proficient in mathematics, compared to state averages of 40.7% and 42.0%, respectively. Eighth-grade science proficiency is particularly low at 2.8%, though this is an improvement from 0% the previous year. The school does show some relative strength in 8th-grade mathematics, where 30.5% of students are proficient, notably higher than the lower grade levels. Year-over-year results are mixed, with gains in 6th-grade math (+5.8 points) and 8th-grade math (+3.8 points), but significant declines in 7th-grade math (-10.1 points) and 8th-grade social studies (-9.7 points).
The school serves an entirely economically disadvantaged population, with 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. Per-student spending is $17,120, well above typical levels, and the student-to-teacher ratio is a favorable 11.3:1, yet these resources have not translated into competitive proficiency rates. Chronic absenteeism stands at 20.7%, above the state rate of 17.7%, which likely compounds academic difficulties. The school has earned a 1-star rating for three consecutive years, and its declining state ranking suggests that while some individual scores are improving, other schools across Georgia are advancing at a faster pace. For parents considering this school, the data indicates a high-poverty environment with substantial academic gaps, though the improved 8th-grade math performance and the school's investment in smaller class sizes offer some positive signals amid the broader challenges.
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