Middle Schools in Meriwether County

Meriwether County is home to two middle schools—Manchester Middle School and Greenville Middle School—serving grades 6-8 in a rural Georgia district where nearly all students (over 98%) qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Greenville Middle School is the clear standout, having climbed from the 19th to the 48th percentile in state rankings over two years. Its 7th grade math proficiency (54.9%) exceeds the state average, and its chronic absenteeism rate of just 7.0% is less than half the state average. Greenville also spends more per student ($20,486 vs. $17,655) and maintains a much lower student-teacher ratio (9.1:1 vs. 13.5:1) than its counterpart. In contrast, Manchester Middle School has remained in the bottom 15th percentile for three straight years, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 26.4%—nearly four times higher than Greenville’s. Manchester’s 8th grade social studies proficiency (9.0%) and 6th grade math proficiency (15.6%) lag far behind state averages.

Despite similar economic challenges, the two schools diverge sharply. Greenville outperforms Manchester in every subject, including a 37.3% vs. 18.0% gap in 8th grade math and a 28.4% vs. 13.4% gap in 8th grade science. One notable anomaly: Manchester reports 62.6% proficiency in Algebra I, well above the state average, likely reflecting a small group of accelerated students. Both schools struggle with 8th grade social studies, where the district-wide proficiency (10.9%) trails the state by nearly 30 points. Year-over-year scores swing dramatically at both schools—such as Greenville’s 7th grade math jumping 14.3 points and Manchester’s 8th grade math dropping 10.6 points—likely due to small class sizes. For parents, Greenville’s success with attendance and targeted instruction offers a model, while Manchester’s absenteeism remains the most pressing issue to address.