Grady County

Grady County Schools is a six-school district in southwest Georgia serving roughly 4,415 students across four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school, with a predominantly low-income student population and a district-wide 3-star rating.

For parents, the standout options are the two PK-8 schools. Shiver Elementary School is the district’s academic leader, ranking in the 64th percentile statewide, with exceptional 4th grade math (79% proficient—29 points above the district average) and strong 8th grade science (43.7% vs. 19.8% district-wide). Whigham Elementary School is close behind (68th percentile) and excels in 3rd grade math (65%) and 7th grade math (61%). Both outperform the traditional elementary schools: Eastside Elementary School (40th percentile) and Southside Elementary School (21st percentile). Notably, Southside spends the most per student ($13,522) yet posts the lowest results, while Eastside has improved from the 25th to 40th percentile. Washington Middle School shows a remarkable 100% proficiency in Algebra I (more than double the state average), suggesting a strong accelerated math program, but struggles in 8th grade science (10.9%) and social studies (13%). Cairo High School posts a strong 90.3% graduation rate and a low 1.3% dropout rate, though its U.S. History (25.8%) and Biology (43.3%) scores lag state averages.

Key takeaways: the PK-8 model appears to offer academic benefits, as both PK-8 schools outperform the standalone elementary and middle schools. The district’s biggest weaknesses are in 8th grade science and social studies, where proficiency rates are roughly half the state average. Chronic absenteeism is below the state average (14.9% vs. 17.7%), but the highest-performing schools actually have the highest absenteeism, suggesting other factors drive success. Most importantly, high poverty does not determine outcomes—Shiver achieves 79% math proficiency with 92.2% free/reduced lunch, proving that strong instruction can overcome economic challenges.