Summary:
Pelham City is a small, unified school district in southwest Georgia serving about 1,246 students across three schools: Pelham Elementary School (PK-5), Pelham City Middle School (6-8), and Pelham High School (9-12). The district ranks in the bottom third of Georgia districts with a 2-star rating, but it shows clear pockets of strength and a positive overall trajectory.
Pelham Elementary School is the district’s standout success story, climbing from the 22nd to the 47th percentile over two years. It now exceeds the state average in 5th-grade science (50% vs. 44.2%) and nearly matches state proficiency in 4th-grade math (43.6% vs. 50.1%). In contrast, Pelham City Middle School is the weakest link, with the lowest percentile ranking (35th) and a dramatic "middle school slide"—6th-grade math proficiency plunges to just 13.9% compared to 43.6% in 4th grade. Pelham High School posts the district’s best graduation rate at 93.4%, well above the state’s 87.2%, despite End of Course proficiency rates lagging state averages by 15-18 points in most subjects.
One of the district’s biggest strengths is attendance: all three schools keep chronic absenteeism below 10%, far better than the state average of 17.7%, even though nearly all students qualify for free/reduced lunch. Science is a relative bright spot, particularly at the elementary level, while U.S. History is a critical weakness—only 20% of high school students are proficient, down from 24.1% the prior year. The district’s overall direction is encouraging: elementary gains are substantial, the middle school is improving modestly, and the high school’s graduation success suggests effective support systems. For parents, Pelham Elementary offers the strongest academic momentum, while Pelham High School excels at keeping students on track to graduate.
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