High Schools in Elbert County

Elbert County High School is the sole high school in Elbert County, serving grades 9–12 in Elberton, GA, with 916 students and a very high poverty rate (94.76% free/reduced lunch).

This school is a study in contrasts. On one hand, it posts solid non-test metrics: the graduation rate (86.5%) is nearly identical to the state average (87.2%), the dropout rate (2.6%) is just above the state’s 2.4%, and chronic absenteeism (14.8%) is notably better than the state average (17.7%). On the other hand, End of Course (EOC) test proficiency lags significantly. In 2025–2026, only 16.2% of students were proficient in Algebra I (state: 48.1%), 26.4% in Biology (state: 47.2%), and 30.5% in U.S. History (state: 38.5%). These gaps have driven the school’s state ranking down from the 35th percentile (2024–2025) to the 26th percentile (2025–2026), dropping it from a 2-star to a 1-star rating.

There are a few bright spots worth noting. Algebra I proficiency improved from 12.1% to 16.2% year-over-year—a 34% relative gain—though it still trails the state by roughly 32 points. U.S. History was nearly at state parity in 2024–2025 (37.3% vs. 38.6%) but fell to a 30.5% proficiency rate this year. Biology, however, declined from 31.0% to 26.4% while the state improved, widening the gap from 13.2 to 20.8 points. With per-student spending of $12,914 and a 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio, the school has moderate resources but faces substantial academic challenges, especially in math and science. English Language Arts scores are not yet available and will be released in December, which will provide a more complete picture of the school’s performance.