Elementary Schools in Chattooga County

Chattooga County is home to three elementary schools—Leroy Massey Elementary School, Menlo Elementary School, and Lyerly Elementary School—serving students from Pre-K through 5th or 8th grade in a rural northwest Georgia district that ranks in the bottom third of the state.

Menlo Elementary School is the clear standout, jumping to the 50th percentile statewide and earning 3 stars. Its 3rd grade math proficiency rate of 64.7% is more than double the district average and far exceeds the state, while its chronic absenteeism rate of 8.1% is less than half the district norm. Lyerly Elementary School excels in upper grades despite a modest overall ranking—its 8th grade math (54.2%) and science (37.1%) scores beat state averages, and its chronic absenteeism rate of just 3.1% is extraordinary. Leroy Massey Elementary School faces the steepest challenges: it ranks in the 6th percentile, has the highest poverty rate (94.3% free/reduced lunch), the highest absenteeism (18.5%), and every current-year test score falls below district averages.

Across the district, early elementary grades (3rd-5th) lag state averages in most subjects, though upper-grade performance at Menlo and Lyerly suggests students can catch up. Chronic absenteeism strongly tracks with outcomes—the two schools with low absenteeism outperform the one with high absenteeism. Notably, Leroy Massey spends the least per student ($11,725) despite serving the highest-need population, while Lyerly spends the most ($13,154) and has the smallest class sizes. Social studies is a district-wide weakness, with 8th grade scores far below state levels. For parents, Menlo offers the strongest overall academics, Lyerly provides excellent attendance and middle-school strength, and Leroy Massey may benefit from additional resources and attendance support.