Summary:
Lamar County High School is the sole high school in Lamar County, serving grades 9–12 in Barnesville, GA, with 831 students and a high-poverty population where over 91% qualify for free or reduced lunch.
This school is clearly on an upward trajectory. Its state ranking has improved dramatically over two years, jumping from 327th (1 star) in 2023–2024 to 231st (2 stars) in 2025–2026—a gain of 96 positions that places it near the state median. The graduation rate of 87.6% edges out the state average of 87.2%, and the dropout rate of 2.3% is slightly better than the state’s 2.4%. Academically, the picture is mixed but shows notable momentum. Algebra I proficiency surged from 36.2% to 47.4% in one year, nearly matching the state average of 48.1%. U.S. History is a genuine bright spot, with 40.7% proficiency exceeding the state’s 38.5%—the only subject where the school outperforms Georgia as a whole. However, Biology remains a serious weakness, with just 28.3% proficient versus 47.2% statewide, a gap of nearly 19 points that also represents a 10.6-point decline from the prior year.
The most pressing concern is chronic absenteeism, which sits at 24.0%—well above the district’s 16.9% and the state’s 17.7%. Given the strong link between attendance and achievement, reducing absenteeism could be the single most impactful step for further gains. Per-student spending is moderate at $12,011, and the student-teacher ratio is 15.9:1. Because this is the only high school in the district, all district-level metrics mirror the school’s performance exactly. Overall, Lamar County High School is a high-poverty school making real progress in ranking and math, but it must stabilize science scores and tackle chronic absenteeism to sustain its upward climb.
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