Quitman County

Quitman County is a small, rural district in southwest Georgia with just two schools—Quitman County Elementary (grades PK-8) and Quitman County High School (grades 9-12)—serving roughly 309 students total, with the district ranking in the bottom 4% of Georgia districts.

The most striking story here is the contrast between the two schools. Quitman County High School posts a perfect 100% graduation rate—well above the state's 87.2%—yet its End-of-Course exam proficiency is extremely low, with just 11.1% passing Biology and 6.1% passing U.S. History. This suggests students are being guided to diplomas, but content mastery is lagging significantly. Meanwhile, Quitman County Elementary shows a remarkable attendance record: only 1.6% chronic absenteeism, compared to 17.7% statewide, despite 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. The elementary school also shows volatile math scores year-to-year—5th grade jumped from 10% to 23.5% proficiency, while 6th grade dropped from 20% to 6.3%—likely due to very small class sizes of roughly 20 students per grade, where a few students can swing percentages dramatically.

Academically, both schools trail state averages by wide margins in nearly every subject. Math proficiency ranges from 6.3% (6th grade) to 26.6% (8th grade), compared to state rates of 40-50%. The closest gap is 8th grade science at 26.7% proficiency, just 3 points below the state's 29.7%. Social studies is the weakest area, with 8th grade at 6.7% and high school U.S. History at 6.1%—both roughly 32-34 points below state averages. Notably, the district spends well above average per student ($23,217 at the elementary level), yet outcomes remain low, indicating that funding alone isn't closing the achievement gap in this high-poverty district.