Elbert County Middle School

Elbert County Middle School in Elberton, GA, serves approximately 650 students in grades 6-8 and is part of the Elbert County district, where 100% of students qualified for free or reduced lunch in the 2024-2025 school year.

The most striking bright spot is the school's Algebra I performance. In 2025-2026, 74.4% of students scored proficient or better—nearly three times the district average (27%) and well above the state average (48.1%). This has been consistent for three years, with proficiency rates between 73% and 82%. However, this success contrasts sharply with grade-level math, where only 23.9% to 28.4% of 6th-8th graders meet state standards, compared to state averages of 40.7% to 46.3%. The school also trails nearby Oglethorpe County Middle School, Hart County Middle School, and Madison County Middle School in most core subjects—for example, 6th grade math proficiency (27.9%) is roughly half that of neighboring schools (44.8-55.4%). Science and social studies also lag, with 8th grade social studies at 22.2% versus the state's 40.2%.

There is encouraging news on attendance. Chronic absenteeism dropped from 26.6% in 2024-2025 to 19.6% in 2025-2026—a 7-point improvement, the largest single-year gain among nearby schools, and now comparable to Madison County (19.8%). The school also spends more per student ($13,669) than its neighbors and maintains a competitive student-teacher ratio of 13.5:1. While the school's overall ranking (30th percentile) has remained stable for a decade, the combination of strong Algebra I results, improved attendance, and increased resources may signal a positive turning point, though significant work remains in closing achievement gaps across core subjects.