Jeff Davis County

Jeff Davis County Schools is a compact, four-school district in southeastern Georgia serving roughly 3,074 students across grades PK-12, with all schools operating at or near 100% free/reduced lunch eligibility. The district earns a 4-star rating and ranks 42nd out of 201 Georgia districts, with standout performances in middle school math and high school graduation rates.

The clear academic leader is Jeff Davis Middle School, the district's only 4-star school. It has climbed 70 spots in state rankings over two years and posts exceptional results: 7th grade math proficiency is 54.9% (12.9 points above the state), 8th grade math is 58.3% (12 points above), and 8th grade social studies is 56.6%—a remarkable 16.4 points above the state average. Meanwhile, Jeff Davis High School shines with a 98.9% graduation rate, nearly 12 points above the state, and strong Biology scores (55.4% vs. 47.2% statewide), though its American Literature and Algebra I scores lag. The lower grades show a mixed picture: Jeff Davis Elementary School exceeds state averages in 3rd and 4th grade math, but 5th grade dips below in both math and science, suggesting a transition challenge. Jeff Davis Primary School has the highest chronic absenteeism rate in the district at 26.5%, nearly 9 points above the state, despite the highest per-student spending.

Despite high poverty, the district beats state averages in 8 of 11 tested subjects, demonstrating efficient resource use. The most pressing concern is chronic absenteeism, which runs above state levels at every school except the elementary school (16.7%, below the 17.7% state rate). The district's year-over-year improvement is notable—the middle and high schools have both made significant ranking gains—and its cohesive, four-school structure makes the data especially clear for tracking progress. English Language Arts scores are not yet available for this release; the most recent data showed the district below state averages in that subject, so that remains a key area to watch.