Webster County

Webster County is a small, rural Georgia district serving 228 students across two schools: Webster County Elementary/Middle School (grades PK-8) and Webster County High School (grades 9-12). Both schools serve 100% economically disadvantaged students, and the district ranks 175th out of 201 districts statewide with a 1-star rating.

The elementary/middle school is the stronger of the two, showing positive momentum with its state ranking climbing from the 27th to 34th percentile over two years. Its 3rd-grade math proficiency (60%) actually beats the state average (48.3%), but performance drops sharply by 5th grade, where only 13% of students meet math standards—a 47-point decline from 3rd grade. The school also struggles with 8th-grade social studies (0% proficiency for two consecutive years) and 8th-grade science (6.7% proficiency). Chronic absenteeism here is better than state averages at 14.8%. In contrast, Webster County High School boasts a perfect 100% graduation rate but earns a 0-star rating with End of Course proficiency rates of just 13% in Algebra I and 13.3% in Biology—both more than 30 points below state averages. The high school also has a higher chronic absenteeism rate (21.5%) than the district or state.

The district spends generously—$23,809 to $27,668 per student—with excellent student-teacher ratios around 9:1, yet outcomes remain low. With only 10-25 students per grade, single-student swings can shift percentages dramatically, so year-over-year changes should be interpreted cautiously. The sharp math decline after 3rd grade and the persistent upper-grade science and social studies struggles suggest systemic instructional challenges. However, the elementary/middle school's improving ranking and strong early-grade math performance offer a hopeful signal that recent changes may be taking root, though sustained intervention will be needed to address the significant gaps in upper grades and high school.