Atkinson County Middle School

Atkinson County Middle School in Pearson, GA, serves 336 students in grades 6 through 8 and has earned a 4-star rating, ranking in the 73rd percentile statewide—a notable jump from last year's 3-star rating.

This school is a clear academic leader in its region. In math, Atkinson County Middle School shines: 8th-grade proficiency hit 61.5%, which is more than 15 points above the state average and more than double the rates at nearby Clinch County Middle School (29.1%) and Coffee Middle School (34.6%). In fact, Atkinson outperformed both neighboring schools in every subject and grade level tested. The school also excels with specific student groups—African American and Hispanic students both rank in the 80th percentile statewide, and male students rank in the 76th percentile. This success comes despite 85.71% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and the school does it while spending slightly less per student ($11,099) than its neighbors.

The story here is one of remarkable growth. Since the 2021-2022 school year, chronic absenteeism has dropped from 30.7% to 17.2%—now below the state average—while math scores have surged. For example, 6th-grade math proficiency more than doubled from 20.2% to 43.2%, and 8th-grade social studies jumped from 38.1% to 52.1%. Science remains a relative weak point at 29.2% proficiency, though that's nearly double last year's rate. With a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.6 and a 4-star rating that outpaces the 2-star ratings of both Clinch County and Coffee County districts, Atkinson County Middle School is efficiently turning resources into results and stands as a regional standout.