Summary
Eddy Middle School in Columbus, GA, serves 448 students in grades 6-8 within the Muscogee County School District, where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 2-3% of Georgia middle schools over the past decade, with its 2025-2026 state percentile at the 2nd percentile (rank 566 out of 578). Proficiency rates in Mathematics were just 2.9% (6th grade), 10.4% (7th grade), and 9% (8th grade), compared to state averages of 40.7%, 42%, and 46.3% respectively. In Science and Social Studies, only 4.2% and 4.9% of 8th graders were proficient, versus state rates of 29.7% and 40.2%. These figures place Eddy at the very bottom of the academic spectrum, even among its already low-performing district peers.
There are, however, some encouraging signs. Chronic absenteeism has dropped dramatically from 48.2% in 2024-2025 to 20.9% in 2025-2026, bringing the school close to the district (19.5%) and state (17.7%) averages—a remarkable improvement that suggests recent attendance interventions may be working. Additionally, English Language Learner (ELL) students at Eddy rank in the 36th percentile statewide, earning 2 stars, which is significantly better than the school’s overall performance and far exceeds other student subgroups. This relative success offers a potential model for improvement. The student-teacher ratio of 14.3:1 is also favorable compared to many peers.
Despite spending $13,545 per student—higher than several higher-performing nearby schools like Veterans Memorial Middle School ($11,672) and Richards Middle School ($11,748)—academic outcomes remain far below those schools. For example, Richards, just 5.35 miles away, ranks in the 74th percentile statewide with 6th-grade math proficiency at 48.7%, more than 10 times Eddy’s rate. Eddy also does not report any Algebra I or High School Physical Science End-of-Course test results, unlike nearby schools such as Midland Middle School and Blackmon Road Middle School, which offer advanced courses with proficiency rates often exceeding 65%. This absence of advanced coursework may limit student access to accelerated learning opportunities. While poverty is a factor, the performance gap compared to demographically similar schools like Baker Middle School suggests that Eddy’s challenges are deeply entrenched and unlikely to be resolved without substantial systemic changes—though the attendance improvement and ELL success offer glimmers of hope.
Thank you for your feedback!