Sumter County High School

Sumter County High School in Americus, GA, serves approximately 1,037 students in grades 9-12 and is part of the Sumter County district, where about 92% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The most striking feature of this school is its graduation rate. At 96.7% for the 2024-2025 school year, it exceeds the state average by nearly 10 points and has stayed above 96% for four straight years. This is a genuine strength, especially when you consider that academic proficiency is low. For the 2025-2026 school year, only 16.5% of students were proficient in Algebra I and 16.6% in Biology, compared to state averages of 48.1% and 47.2%. U.S. History proficiency is just 7.3% versus 38.5% statewide. These gaps are significant, and Algebra I scores have been trending downward over the past three years. However, the school has made real progress in chronic absenteeism, dropping from 24.6% in 2022-2023 to 13.9% now—better than the state average of 17.7%. This suggests students are more connected to school, even if test scores haven't caught up yet.

Compared to nearby Macon County High School, Sumter actually does slightly better in Algebra I (16.5% vs. 11%) but trails in Biology and U.S. History. The contrast with Schley Middle High School, just 9 miles away, is stark—Schley posts proficiency rates above 68% in Algebra I and Biology, though it serves a much more affluent population. Sumter spends about $14,845 per student, more than Schley, yet has a slightly higher student-teacher ratio. The school also serves its English Language Learner students relatively well compared to other subgroups. For parents, the big picture is a school that excels at getting students to graduation day, but where academic mastery remains a serious challenge that families should be aware of and plan to support at home.