Summary:
Cairo High School is the only high school in Grady County, serving grades 9-12 with 1,317 students in a rural southwest Georgia community where nearly 90% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Cairo High School stands out most for its student outcomes. The graduation rate of 90.3% exceeds the state average of 87.2%, while the dropout rate of just 1.3% is less than half the state's 2.4%. Chronic absenteeism also runs below the state norm at 14.7% versus 17.7%. These numbers suggest the school is effective at keeping students engaged and on track to earn diplomas, even though standardized test scores are mixed. In the most recent testing year, Algebra I proficiency reached 48.4%, slightly above the state average of 48.1% and a strong 7-point improvement over the prior year. Biology improved to 43.3% but still trails the state by about 4 points. U.S. History is the weakest area, with only 25.8% proficient compared to the state's 38.5% — an 8-point decline from the previous year.
The school's overall trajectory is positive. Cairo High School has climbed in state rankings for three straight years, moving from 258th to 224th out of roughly 455 schools, now sitting at the 51st percentile. Per-student spending of $10,266 is modest, and the student-teacher ratio of 16.6:1 is reasonable. The district itself earns a 3-star rating, ranking 93rd out of 201 districts in Georgia. For parents, the key takeaway is that Cairo High School delivers strong graduation and retention results despite academic challenges in some subjects. The notable gains in Algebra I and the consistent improvement in state ranking indicate a school on an upward path, though U.S. History proficiency will need attention to bring overall performance closer to state averages.
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