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Test scores delayed: 2026 rankings for Georgia do not yet include English Language Arts scores, which will not be released by the Georgia Department of Education until winter 2026.

J. A. Dobbins Middle School

Q: Is J. A. Dobbins Middle School a good school?

J. A. Dobbins Middle School ranks 283 rd of 578 Georgia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

283^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 578 Georgia Middle Schools

Better than 51% of Georgia middle schools

Summary

J. A. Dobbins Middle School in Powder Springs, GA, serves 531 students in grades 6-8 as part of the Paulding County School District, with about 71% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

The standout strength at Dobbins is its Algebra I program. In the most recent testing year, 100% of tested students scored proficient or above—compared to 46% district-wide and 48% statewide. This isn't a one-time fluke; the school has posted proficiency rates between 80-92% over the past three years, far exceeding nearby schools like South Paulding Middle School and Chestnut Log Middle School. However, grade-level math tells a different story. Only about 26% of 6th graders and 30% of 7th graders scored proficient in math—well below district and state averages. Interestingly, 8th grade math (47% proficient) actually exceeds both district and state averages. This suggests the school excels at accelerating its strongest math students while the broader student population in standard math classes faces challenges.

There's encouraging news in science, where 8th grade proficiency jumped from roughly 12-14% in the prior two years to nearly 30%—matching the state average. Social studies performance has been more volatile, ranging from 28% to 42% over recent years. The school also invests heavily in its students, spending $16,471 per pupil—more than any nearby school—and maintaining a favorable 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio, the lowest in the area. Chronic absenteeism has improved significantly, dropping from 32.5% to 19.1% over four years, though it still exceeds state and district averages. Overall, Dobbins ranks in the 51st percentile statewide (3 stars), placing it mid-pack among neighbors—behind East Paulding Middle School but ahead of P. B. Ritch Middle School and several Douglas County schools.

531

Students ?

12.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,471

Per pupil spending ?

71.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

637 Williams Lake Rd
Powder Springs, GA 30127

(770) 443-4835

District: Paulding County

Students who attend J. A. Dobbins Middle School usually attend:

High:

Hiram High School

Feeder schools for J. A. Dobbins Middle School:

Elementary:	Bessie L. Baggett Elementary
	Sam D. Panter Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

38.6%

Hispanic:

29.6%

White:

24.5%

See top rated Georgia middle schools

Compare J. A. Dobbins Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 59th percentile in 2016 → 51st in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Georgia median (51st percentile)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Georgia average (36% vs 42% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 8 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school36%

District avg43%

Georgia avg42%

283^rd of 578

Georgia public middle schools ?

Top 49%▼ down 8 pts since 2016

From top 41% (2016) to top 49% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 10Middle Schools in the Paulding County

88^th of 202Paulding County among Georgia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	47.0	283 of 578	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	41.7	326 of 585	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.2	325 of 578	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.4	278 of 569	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	45.6	286 of 558	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	48.2	265 of 542	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.8	253 of 559	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	54.4	220 of 543	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	57.8	200 of 539	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2016	55.9	221 of 545	59.4%	★★★☆☆
2015	54.6	216 of 537	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2014	65.7	182 of 521	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	62.6	204 of 527	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2012	62.5	203 of 508	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2011	58.9	223 of 504	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2010	61.1	202 of 494	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2009	59.9	199 of 466	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2008	60.5	181 of 462	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2007	63.0	172 of 445	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2006	67.9	122 of 420	71.0%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	51.8	187 of 480	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	60.1	154 of 494	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.6	205 of 489	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	59.9	149 of 485	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	51.5	193 of 482	60.0%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2024	46.8	82 of 200	59.0%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	49.5	257 of 550	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	40.1	321 of 567	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.5	342 of 558	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	43.4	294 of 553	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.8	277 of 544	49.1%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	45.0	183 of 374	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	37.1	247 of 400	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.6	179 of 381	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	57.1	129 of 380	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	40.2	211 of 367	42.5%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	42.5	300 of 550	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	40.5	322 of 569	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.2	314 of 561	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.2	251 of 559	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	45.1	292 of 553	47.2%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2022	46.6	80 of 145	44.8%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	45.2	201 of 425	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	44.3	223 of 442	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.6	226 of 437	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	32.3	289 of 429	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.0	205 of 431	52.4%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	41.6	237 of 404	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	24.8	333 of 415	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.0	337 of 417	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.7	302 of 429	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.9	253 of 425	40.5%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2026)61st percentile+10 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)59th percentile+15 vs school

Female (2026)53rd percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)53rd percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)51st percentile~ school

Male (2026)45th percentile-6 vs school

Multi-racial (2022)45th percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)41st percentile-10 vs school

By subject vs Georgia (2025-2026) ?

Algebra I100%+52 vs state

Social Studies40%~ state avg

Mathematics34%-9 vs state

Science30%~ state avg

1.0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Sunday, October 31, 2021

Bullying, lack of teacher guidance, low test scores (this school used to be a 8/10 on Greatschools a few years ago, but now it dropped to a 6/10), a useless school counselor are all issues at this school. Close Quote

Schools Near J. A. Dobbins Middle School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				Milestones Assessment Algebra I (2026)	Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2026)			Milestones Assessment Science (2026)	Milestones Assessment Social Studies (2026)	Milestones Assessment HS Physical Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Milestones Assessment Algebra I End of Course	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Social Studies 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment HS Physical Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
J. A. Dobbins Middle School	Public	6-8	637 Williams Lake Rd	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	Paulding County	No	No	No	No	(770) 443-4835	531	41	12.9	71.4%	130 (24.5%)	205 (38.6%)	157 (29.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (6.8%)	47	283^rd of 578 public middle schools	51.0%		41.7	326^th of 585 public middle schools	44.3%	43	100.0	25.7	30.2	46.7	29.6	39.7		$16,471	$722	$15,749
Irma C. Austin Middle School	Public	6-8	3490 Ridge Rd	Douglasville	30134	Douglas County	Paulding County	No	No	No	No	(770) 942-0316	782	52	15.0	58.3%	331 (42.3%)	284 (36.3%)	117 (15.0%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	45 (5.8%)	44.2	300^th of 578 public middle schools	48.1%		40.7	333^rd of 585 public middle schools	43.1%	33	83.3	41.1	34.8	26.3	33.2	28.5		$13,317	$203	$13,114
Stewart Middle School	Public	6-8	8138 Malone St	Douglasville	30134	Douglas County	Douglas County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 651-5400	533	35	15.4	86.7%	12 (2.3%)	390 (73.2%)	101 (18.9%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	24 (4.5%)	19.2	467^th of 578 public middle schools	19.2%		19.7	470^th of 585 public middle schools	19.7%	3		7.5	15.7	19.8	21.9	20.2		$15,239	$1,709	$13,531
P. B. Ritch Middle School	Public	6-8	60 Old Country Trl	Dallas	30157	Paulding County	Paulding County	No	No	No	No	(770) 443-8000	690	48	14.3	68.3%	120 (17.4%)	390 (56.5%)	108 (15.7%)	7 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.6%)	60 (8.7%)	32.2	382^nd of 578 public middle schools	33.9%		34.2	380^th of 585 public middle schools	35.0%	2	100.0	30.2	20.8	30.8	28.8	18.1		$13,969	$576	$13,392
Tapp Middle School	Public	6-8	3900 Macedonia Rd	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 222-3758	809	54	14.8	87.4%	48 (5.9%)	466 (57.6%)	237 (29.3%)	12 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (5.7%)	50.8	258^th of 578 public middle schools	55.4%		57.3	226^th of 585 public middle schools	61.4%	32	95.5	36.8	46.3	36.6	20.3	45.4	52.9	$15,365	$841	$14,524
Garrett Middle School	Public	6-8	5235 Austell Powder Springs Rd	Austell	30106	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 819-2466	891	58	15.4	100.0%	44 (4.9%)	427 (47.9%)	384 (43.1%)	5 (0.6%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	28 (3.1%)	35.3	362^nd of 578 public middle schools	37.4%		30.8	403^rd of 585 public middle schools	31.1%	41	95.4	27.0	27.4	34.9	27.9	22.0	83.9	$14,833	$901	$13,931
Turner Middle School	Public	6-8	7101 Turner Dr	Lithia Springs	30122	Douglas County	Douglas County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 651-5500	742	46	16.1	85.2%	51 (6.9%)	308 (41.5%)	347 (46.8%)	4 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	7 (0.9%)	23 (3.1%)	24.1	435^th of 578 public middle schools	24.7%		20.4	466^th of 585 public middle schools	20.3%	31	100.0	21.5	20.6	22.2	20.7	22.8		$12,439	$426	$12,014
South Paulding Middle School	Public	6-8	592 Nebo Rd	Dallas	30157	Paulding County	Paulding County	No	No	No	No	(770) 445-8500	507	38	13.3	58.8%	293 (57.8%)	118 (23.3%)	66 (13.0%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.7%)	45	294^th of 578 public middle schools	49.1%		42.4	318^th of 585 public middle schools	45.6%	24	79.3	38.8	28.3	30.1	30.1	39.2		$15,278	$241	$15,037
Cooper Middle School	Public	6-8	4605 Ewing Rd	Austell	30106	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 819-2438	1,000	63	15.8	91.7%	51 (5.1%)	639 (63.9%)	255 (25.5%)	8 (0.8%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (4.5%)	66	171^st of 578 public middle schools	70.4%		66.9	160^th of 585 public middle schools	72.6%	11	100.0	34.9	33.4	51.3	44.8	60.9	91.4	$14,423	$953	$13,470
East Paulding Middle School	Public	6-8	2945 Hiram Acworth Hwy	Dallas	30157	Paulding County	Paulding County	No	No	No	No	(770) 443-7000	630	44	14.3	46.3%	343 (54.4%)	146 (23.2%)	103 (16.3%)	6 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (4.9%)	75.8	125^th of 578 public middle schools	78.4%		60.8	200^th of 585 public middle schools	65.8%	75	100.0	60.9	51.0	55.0	45.4	40.8		$14,350	$370	$13,980

Frequently Asked Questions about J. A. Dobbins Middle School

Is J. A. Dobbins Middle School a good school?

J. A. Dobbins Middle School ranks 283^rd of 578 Georgia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend J. A. Dobbins Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 531 students attended J. A. Dobbins Middle School.

What high school do graduates of J. A. Dobbins Middle School attend?

Students who attend J. A. Dobbins Middle School usually go on to attend Hiram High School

What is the racial makeup of J. A. Dobbins Middle School?

Students at J. A. Dobbins Middle School are 39% African American, 30% Hispanic, 24% White, 7% Two or more races.

What district is J. A. Dobbins Middle School in?

Paulding County

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Latest Georgia data All new data »

2025–26 attendance dataAug 6, 2026

2025–26 Milestones Assessment scoresAug 6, 2026

2021–22 through 2024–25 Milestones Assessment scores (updated)Aug 6, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesFeb 19, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Georgia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.