Summary:
Coweta County is home to seven middle schools serving grades 6-8, with a combined enrollment of roughly 5,255 students, and the district ranks in the 83rd percentile statewide with a 4-star rating.
If you're looking for top academic performers, Blake Bass Middle School is the clear standout, ranking 15th in the state (97th percentile, 5 stars) and improving dramatically from 77th just two years ago. It leads the county in nearly every subject, with 8th-grade math proficiency at 71.5% compared to the district average of 51.9%. Madras Middle School is the second-strongest option, ranking 47th statewide (92nd percentile, 5 stars) and also exceeding district averages across all subjects. Lee Middle School rounds out the top tier with solid performance and a 13.7% chronic absenteeism rate, tied for the best in the county. On the other end, Smokey Road Middle School ranks 375th (35th percentile, 2 stars) and trails district averages by 22-30 percentage points in math, while Arnall Middle School (270th, 3 stars) and Evans Middle School also fall below county norms. East Coweta Middle School sits in the middle, though its 20.5% chronic absenteeism rate is a concern.
One striking pattern is that higher spending doesn't translate to better results—Smokey Road spends the most per student ($15,467) yet has the lowest scores, while Blake Bass spends less ($11,627) and achieves the best outcomes. Poverty levels track closely with performance: the top three schools have free/reduced lunch rates between 30-40%, while the bottom three range from 58-64%. Chronic absenteeism is another key indicator, with the best schools around 13.7% versus 22.4% at Smokey Road. County-wide, science is a relative strength—all schools except Smokey Road exceed the state average of 29.7% in 8th-grade science. Note that current-year ELA scores aren't yet available; the data shown is from the prior year, where Blake Bass led in all grades. For parents, the choice largely comes down to Blake Bass or Madras for top-tier academics, though the county as a whole performs well above state averages.
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