Hawkinsville High School

Hawkinsville High School in Hawkinsville, GA, serves approximately 388 students in grades 9–12 and is the sole high school in the Pulaski County district, which ranks in the bottom fifth of Georgia districts.

Hawkinsville currently holds a 1-star rating, placing it in the 13th percentile statewide—a steep drop from its 4-star peak in 2021-2022. The most recent test scores show proficiency rates well below state averages: 22.6% in Algebra I (state: 48.1%), 20.6% in Biology (state: 47.2%), and 17.2% in U.S. History (state: 38.5%). These numbers trail every nearby traditional high school, including Dodge County High School, which serves a similarly rural, high-poverty population and outperforms Hawkinsville by 7–15 points in core subjects. The gap is even larger compared to Perry High School and Veterans High School, where Biology proficiency exceeds 84%. Notably, Hawkinsville's Biology scores collapsed from 54.5% in 2022-2023 to 20.6% now—a 34-point decline in just three years.

Chronic absenteeism is a major concern, with 32.0% of students missing significant school time—nearly double the state rate of 17.7% and roughly triple the rates at Bleckley County High School (10.7%) and Dodge County (9.4%). The school now serves a 100% free/reduced lunch population, up from 72.4% just two years ago, reflecting exceptionally high economic need. On a positive note, the graduation rate rebounded to 91.3% in 2024-2025, exceeding the state average of 87.2%. Per-student spending ($12,386) and class sizes are comparable to nearby schools, suggesting the challenges stem more from attendance and engagement than resources. While the decline is steep, Hawkinsville's history shows improvement is possible—it climbed from the 23rd to the 78th percentile over six years—so targeted interventions around attendance and academic recovery could help reverse the current trend.