Summary:
Mary Persons High School is the sole traditional high school in Monroe County, serving grades 9-12 in Forsyth, GA, with an enrollment of about 1,323 students. This single-school district consistently ranks in the top 20% of Georgia high schools, earning a 4-star rating each of the past three years and placing in the 81st to 86th percentile statewide.
The school’s standout strength is Biology, where 69% of students scored proficient or above on the 2025-2026 End of Course test—a remarkable 21.8 percentage points above the state average and a 9.1-point improvement from the prior year. Graduation rates are also strong at 93.8%, well above the state’s 87.2%, while the dropout rate of 1.2% is exactly half the state average. However, Algebra I proficiency dropped sharply from 53.3% to 43.4%, falling below the state average (48.1%) for the first time in the data shown. This is a notable concern since Algebra I is foundational for future math success, and the district-wide Algebra I score (56.5%) is significantly higher, suggesting the high school may be underperforming relative to other schools in the district.
Despite serving a student body where 43.69% qualify for free or reduced lunch, the school achieves strong outcomes, indicating effective support systems. Chronic absenteeism sits at 12.9%, below the state’s 17.7% but above the district’s 10.4%, which could be an area to watch given its link to achievement. Per-student spending is $12,641 with a 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio. Overall, Mary Persons is a solidly performing school with exceptional science results and strong graduation metrics, but the Algebra I decline warrants attention. Monitoring math instruction and addressing absenteeism will be key to maintaining its high standing. Note that ELA scores are not included in this release and will be available in December.
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