Jefferson City

The Jefferson City school district in Georgia serves approximately 4,294 students across four schools—two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school—and stands out as a top-tier performer, ranking in the 98th percentile of all Georgia districts with a 5-star rating.

Across the board, these schools dramatically outperform state averages, with mathematics emerging as a particular strength. Jefferson High School leads with a 96.4% graduation rate and strong End of Course scores, including 69.6% proficiency in Biology and 67.2% in Algebra I. Jefferson Middle School posts exceptional math results, with 85.7% of 8th graders proficient—nearly double the state average—though its state ranking dipped from 22nd to 66th, highlighting that rankings can be influenced by factors beyond test scores. At the elementary level, Jefferson Academy shows remarkable stability, with 3rd through 5th grade math proficiency consistently between 70% and 73.5%, while Jefferson Elementary School stands out for its exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of 7.0%, less than half the state average.

Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide strength, with all schools below the state average of 17.7%; however, Jefferson High School’s rate of 14.4% is more than double that of the other schools, suggesting a potential area for engagement focus at the secondary level. The district serves a relatively affluent population, with free/reduced lunch eligibility ranging from 25.84% to 31.02% across schools. Per-student spending is highest at Jefferson Elementary School at $13,649, likely due to early childhood program costs, while the other three schools spend between $11,176 and $11,677. Student-teacher ratios are favorable, with Jefferson Elementary School at 13.1:1 and Jefferson High School at 16.6:1. Overall, this district offers a consistently high-quality education with a clear emphasis on math achievement and strong attendance culture.