Summary:
Chattooga County Schools serve approximately 2,676 students across five schools in northwest Georgia, including three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school, with the district overall ranking in the 31st percentile statewide.
Menlo Elementary is the clear standout in this district, earning a 3-star rating—the best in the county—and climbing from the 41st to the 50th percentile in state rankings. Its 3rd-grade math proficiency rate of 64.7% more than doubles the district average and far exceeds the state average, representing a remarkable 27-point jump from the prior year. Menlo also leads the district in 5th-grade math and science. Lyerly Elementary, while more modest overall, excels in middle grades, with 8th-grade math proficiency (54.2%) and science proficiency (37.1%) both surpassing state averages. Lyerly also boasts the county's lowest chronic absenteeism rate at just 3.1%, dramatically better than the state's 17.7%. In contrast, Leroy Massey Elementary, the county's largest school, shows the most concerning trends, with its state ranking falling to the 6th percentile and all math proficiency rates hovering between 15.9% and 19.8%—roughly 25-30 points below state averages.
Attendance appears to be a critical factor in this district. The two highest-performing schools—Menlo (8.1% chronic absenteeism) and Lyerly (3.1%)—have far better attendance than Leroy Massey (18.5%), Summerville Middle (20.7%), and Chattooga High (28.1%). Despite these challenges, Chattooga High School posts a graduation rate of 89.9%, exceeding the state average, and a dropout rate of just 1.2%. However, its End of Course exam scores lag state averages by nearly 20 points in Algebra and Biology. Notably, Summerville Middle spends the most per student ($14,916) yet produces significantly weaker outcomes than the smaller PK-8 schools, raising questions about resource allocation. Menlo's success—combining strong attendance, the district's lowest poverty rate, and exceptional early-grade math results—offers a potential model for improvement across the county.
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