Crawford County

Crawford County is a small, rural district in central Georgia serving about 1,516 students across four schools: Crawford County High School (grades 9-12), Crawford County Middle School (grades 6-8), Crawford County Primary School (grades PK-2), and Crawford County Elementary (grades 3-5). The district ranks 161st out of 201 Georgia districts with a 1-star rating, and nearly all students (98-100%) qualify for free/reduced lunch.

The standout is Crawford County Middle School, which posted an extraordinary 85.7% proficiency rate in Algebra I—far above the state's 48.1%—and jumped 89 spots in the state rankings in one year. Eighth-grade science (34%) and math (34.9%) also exceeded or matched state averages, a dramatic turnaround from the prior year. Meanwhile, Crawford County High School struggles academically, with proficiency rates between 18.1% (Algebra I) and 32.5% (US History), all below state averages, yet it boasts a 93% graduation rate that beats the state's 87.2%. Crawford County Elementary has the district's lowest chronic absenteeism at 14.2%—below the state average—despite 100% poverty, while Crawford County Primary School spends the most per student ($16,658) but has no test scores and a 25.2% absenteeism rate.

District-wide, chronic absenteeism (23.2%) is a major hurdle, especially at the high school (28.4%). Most subjects declined year-over-year, but the middle school's 8th-grade gains show targeted interventions can work quickly. The middle school achieves the best results while spending the least ($12,349 per student), raising questions about resource allocation. The high school's strong graduation rate despite low test scores suggests effective credit recovery, but the Algebra I gap between middle (85.7%) and high school (18.1%) indicates a disconnect in math preparation. For parents, the middle school is clearly the district's bright spot, while the high school offers a supportive path to graduation but with academic gaps that may require extra support.