Worth County

Worth County is a five-school district in rural south Georgia serving roughly 3,057 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, with every school reporting near-universal economic disadvantage (89–100% free/reduced lunch eligibility). The district ranks 108th out of 201 Georgia districts with a 2-star rating, and performance varies sharply by school.

The standout is Worth County Middle School, which jumped from the 37th to the 56th percentile in state rankings and earned a 3-star rating. Its Algebra I End of Course results are extraordinary—96.3% proficiency in 2025-2026 and 100% the prior year, roughly double the state average. The middle school also exceeds the state in 8th grade math (57.4% vs. 46.3%). By contrast, Worth County High School excels at keeping students on track: its 92.9% graduation rate tops both the district (88.9%) and state (87.2%), and its 1.2% dropout rate is half the district average. However, its academic scores lag, with Algebra I at 34.4% and Biology at 28.8% proficiency—though Algebra I improved dramatically from 14.3% the prior year. Worth County Elementary School trails state averages in every subject, with 3rd grade math the strongest at 44.8% proficiency.

The Worth County Achievement Center, an alternative school with just 35 students, faces concentrated challenges: a 49.3% chronic absenteeism rate, a 23.8% dropout rate, and per-student spending of $24,822—more than double the district’s other schools. Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide concern, with three of five schools exceeding the state’s 17.7% rate; only Worth County Primary School (16.2%) falls below it. The middle school’s meteoric rise contrasts with declines at the elementary and high schools, suggesting uneven progress. For parents, the middle school’s math program is a clear strength, while the high school’s graduation success offers a bright spot despite academic struggles.