Middle Schools in Butts County

Henderson Middle School is the only middle school in Butts County, serving grades 6-8 in Jackson, GA, with 761 students and a very high poverty rate (97.9% free/reduced lunch).

This school stands out for its exceptional performance in advanced coursework. Students taking the Algebra I End of Course exam achieved a 98% proficiency rate in 2025-2026—more than double the state average of 48.1%—and 8th graders scored 73% in HS Physical Science, well above the state's 60.9%. However, results are uneven across subjects and grades. While 6th-grade math (45.4%) and 8th-grade math (50.7%) beat state averages, 7th-grade math (29.5%) lags 12.5 points behind the state, and 8th-grade social studies (27%) is 13.2 points below. The school has improved its state ranking for three straight years, rising from the 43rd percentile (2023-2024) to the 53rd percentile (2025-2026), now earning 3 stars. Chronic absenteeism (17.7%) matches the state average exactly, and the school maintains a favorable 15:1 student-teacher ratio with $12,400 spent per student.

For parents, the key takeaway is that Henderson offers strong acceleration opportunities—particularly in math and physical science—but also has clear areas needing support, especially in 7th-grade math and 8th-grade social studies. The dramatic year-over-year gain in 6th-grade math (+12.4 points) suggests recent interventions may be working. Given the school's high-poverty context, its consistent upward trajectory and near-perfect Algebra I results are genuinely noteworthy. Note that ELA scores are not yet available for 2025-2026; they will be released in December, so a fuller academic picture will emerge then.