Commerce City

Commerce City Schools in Georgia serve approximately 1,900 students across four schools—two elementary schools (Commerce Primary for PK-2 and Commerce Elementary School for grades 3-4), Commerce Middle School (grades 5-8), and Commerce High School (grades 9-12)—and the district ranks 16th out of 201 districts statewide with a 5-star rating.

Commerce Middle School is the district's academic powerhouse, particularly in 8th grade where math proficiency hits 75% (vs. 46.3% statewide) and physical science reaches 92.6% (vs. 60.9% statewide). Its 5th-7th grade math scores also exceed state averages by 7-11 points, though 7th grade math dropped 16 points year-over-year—a notable swing worth watching. Commerce High School tells the district's most dramatic improvement story, jumping from 145th to 83rd in state rankings in one year, with a 96.8% graduation rate far above the state's 87.2%. Its Biology scores surged 17.6 points, while Algebra I dipped slightly. Commerce Primary serves the youngest students without test scores but stands out for having the district's highest poverty rate (84.65% free/reduced lunch) alongside the lowest chronic absenteeism (11.0%), suggesting strong family engagement. Commerce Elementary School posts solid 3rd and 4th grade math scores (55-57% proficiency, 7 points above state).

District-wide, every measurable subject exceeds state averages, often by double digits, and chronic absenteeism (12.8%) runs nearly 5 points below the state rate. Spending patterns show equity-minded resource allocation: Commerce Primary receives the most per student ($15,025) despite having no test scores, while Commerce Middle School achieves the strongest results with the least funding ($11,778). A slight dip in math proficiency between 5th and 6th grade hints at transition challenges into middle school, but overall this district delivers consistent, above-average performance across all grade levels and subjects—a remarkable achievement given that 55-85% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Note that current ELA scores are not yet released; last year's data showed the district well above state averages in reading as well.