Summary:
Toombs County Schools is a five-school district in rural southeast Georgia serving roughly 3,100 students in grades PK-12, including one high school, one middle school, and three elementary schools, all of which serve a student population with near-universal economic need (98-100% free/reduced lunch eligibility).
The district’s standout is Toombs Central Elementary School, a 4-star school that outperforms both its local peers and state averages in nearly every subject. Its 5th grade science proficiency (74.1%) is nearly 30 points above the state, and its 4th grade math (68.5%) beats the state by 18 points. It also has the district’s lowest chronic absenteeism (14.6%). By contrast, Lyons Upper Elementary is a solid 3-star school with a notable strength in 3rd grade math (65.6%, 17 points above state), but it lags Toombs Central significantly in 5th grade math (33.4% vs. 51.8%). Lyons Primary School serves the youngest students (PK-2) and spends the most per pupil ($14,369), though it has no test scores to evaluate.
The secondary schools face more significant challenges. Toombs County Middle School shows a troubling decline in math proficiency from 6th grade (38.4%) to 8th grade (23.3%), while state averages rise over the same span—and it has the district’s highest chronic absenteeism (27.1%). Toombs County High School posts strong graduation (94%) and low dropout (1.3%) rates despite test scores below state averages, though Algebra I proficiency improved dramatically from 34.5% to 45% in one year. District-wide, chronic absenteeism exceeds the state rate at four of five schools, and science is a relative strength across all grade levels. The district overall earns a 3-star rating, proving that high-poverty schools can still achieve meaningful academic success.
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