Summary:
Toombs County is home to three elementary schools—Lyons Primary School (PK-2), Toombs Central Elementary School (PK-5), and Lyons Upper Elementary (3-5)—serving roughly 1,541 students in a high-poverty rural area where 98-100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Toombs Central Elementary School is the clear standout, ranking 258th in Georgia (4 stars) and outperforming the state in 4 of 5 subjects. Its 5th grade science proficiency (74.1%) is 30 points above the state average, and its 4th grade math (68.5%) beats the state by 18 points. It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism (14.6%) and improved its ranking by 118 spots year-over-year. In contrast, Lyons Upper Elementary ranks 421st (3 stars) and lags state averages in most subjects, with a troubling math decline from 65.6% in 3rd grade to just 33.4% in 5th grade. Lyons Primary School has no test data (serving PK-2) but shows a 20.1% chronic absenteeism rate, above the state average.
Both schools with 5th graders excel in science, beating the state by 14-30 points, suggesting a district-wide strength. However, Toombs Central outperforms Lyons Upper in every subject and grade, despite similar spending (about $13,400-$14,400 per student). Chronic absenteeism tracks performance—the lower the rate, the higher the achievement. Despite 98-100% poverty, Toombs Central proves high-poverty schools can succeed, while Lyons Upper’s grade-level math decline and attendance issues point to areas needing targeted support.
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