Summary:
Vidalia City is served by a single middle school, J. R. Trippe Middle School, which enrolls 498 students in grades 6-8 in a district ranked in the bottom 15% of Georgia districts.
J. R. Trippe Middle School shows a mixed picture. The most dramatic finding is in Algebra I: proficiency plunged from 88.6% in 2024-2025 to 46.3% in 2025-2026, a 42-point drop, though the school still nearly matches the state average (48.1%). Grade-level math is a consistent weakness, with proficiency rates of 17.4% (6th), 31.0% (7th), and 24.4% (8th) — all well below state averages, with the 6th grade gap at 23 points. Science is the most severe concern: only 4.8% of 8th graders scored proficient, versus 29.7% statewide. Social studies (23.1%) also trails the state (40.2%). The school’s overall state percentile ranking has slipped from 31st (2023-2024) to 23rd (2025-2026), now earning a 1-star rating.
Context matters here: 97.6% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, and chronic absenteeism (17.9%) slightly exceeds state norms. The school spends $13,362 per student and maintains a 13:1 student-teacher ratio, yet results suggest resources haven’t fully offset poverty-related challenges. A bright spot is advanced coursework — students in Algebra I and high school Physical Science (47.4% proficiency) perform relatively well, indicating strong preparation for its highest-achieving students. English Language Arts scores are not included in this release; they will be published in December. For parents, this school offers a supportive environment with small classes, but grade-level proficiency in math and science lags significantly behind state averages, and the recent Algebra I decline warrants attention.
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