Summary:
Upson-Lee High School is the sole high school serving grades 9-12 in Thomaston-Upson County, a single-school district of 1,177 students where all district metrics mirror the school’s performance.
Upson-Lee shows strong signs of momentum, with its state ranking jumping from the 24th to 44th percentile in one year. The school’s graduation rate of 92.5% exceeds the state average of 87.2%, and its dropout rate of 1.8% is well below the state’s 2.4%. Academically, the school posted impressive year-over-year gains: Biology proficiency rose from 27.7% to 44.0%, nearly matching the state average of 47.2%, while Algebra I improved from 22.9% to 34.3%. However, proficiency still trails state averages in every subject—most notably in U.S. History (25.4% vs. 38.5% statewide) and Algebra I (34.3% vs. 48.1%). The most concerning metric is chronic absenteeism: at 26.5%, it is 8.8 percentage points above the state average, meaning more than one in four students is chronically absent, which may be holding back further academic progress.
For parents, the picture is one of a school that graduates students at a high rate but struggles to translate that into state-level test proficiency. The “graduation paradox” suggests students are completing high school, yet many may not be fully prepared in core subjects. Biology stands out as a relative strength, and the school’s rapid improvement across all subjects indicates effective strategies are taking hold. With per-student spending of $13,256 and a favorable 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio, resources appear adequate. If the current upward trajectory continues, Upson-Lee could approach state averages within a few years, but addressing chronic absenteeism will be critical to sustaining that progress.
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