Middle Schools in Charlton County

Bethune Middle School is the only middle school in Charlton County, serving grades 5 through 8 in Folkston, Georgia, with 453 students and a student-teacher ratio of 13.3:1.

Bethune Middle School stands out for its strong and improving academic performance despite serving a student population where 99.56% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school has improved its statewide ranking for three consecutive years, moving from 212th to 150th out of roughly 580 middle schools, and now holds a 4-star rating. The most impressive result is in 6th grade mathematics, where 66.6% of students scored proficient or above in 2025-2026—nearly 26 percentage points above the state average. Math proficiency improved across all grade levels from the prior year, with 8th grade showing the largest gain (from 24.2% to 38.1%). Science is another clear strength, with 8th grade proficiency (39.7%) exceeding the state by 10 points and 5th grade also above average. The school also outperforms the state in 8th grade social studies (44.4% vs. 40.2%).

While most subjects show competitive or superior results, 8th grade mathematics remains a challenge at 38.1% proficiency, 8.2 points below the state average. English Language Arts data from 2024-2025 (the most recent available) shows the school at or above state averages in three of four grade levels, with 6th grade particularly strong at 52.9% proficiency. Chronic absenteeism (16.3%) is below the state average of 17.7%. With per-student spending of $13,524 and a favorable student-teacher ratio, Bethune Middle School demonstrates that high poverty does not preclude academic success. Its consistent upward trajectory suggests the school is well-positioned to continue improving, with 8th grade math being the primary area for targeted intervention.