Randolph County Middle School

Randolph County Middle School in Cuthbert, GA, serves 139 students in grades 6-8 in a small, rural community in southwestern Georgia, and it is part of the Randolph County district.

This school has one of the most impressive improvement stories in the region. A decade ago, it ranked near the bottom of all Georgia middle schools, but today it sits at the 48th percentile statewide—a remarkable climb that has accelerated recently, including a 21-percentage-point jump in just one year. The school is particularly effective for its African American students, who perform in the 67th percentile statewide, well above the school's overall ranking. Attendance is also a major bright spot: chronic absenteeism has dropped from 19.1% to just 7.1%, which is less than half the district average and far better than the state average of 17.7%. In 6th grade math, 50% of students are proficient, beating the state average by nearly 10 points. All of this is achieved with 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and the school does it with relatively modest per-student spending of about $15,000.

Compared to nearby schools, Randolph County stands out. It outperforms Calhoun County Middle School (12.9 miles away) in nearly every subject—for example, double the 6th grade math proficiency—while spending about 35% less per student and having a much lower absenteeism rate. Versus Clay County Middle School (12.4 miles away), the picture is more mixed: Clay County spends dramatically more ($42,618 per student) and posts stronger science scores, but Randolph County has a better overall state ranking and comparable attendance. Challenges remain, particularly in 7th and 8th grade math, science, and social studies, where scores lag state averages. Also, note that the most recent test release does not include English Language Arts scores—those arrive in December—so the full picture for reading and writing is still pending.