Summary:
Zip code 30062 in Marietta, Georgia, is home to two exceptional middle schools—Dodgen Middle School and Hightower Trail Middle School—both serving grades 6-8 within the Cobb County School District, a district ranked in the top 30% of Georgia.
Both schools are elite performers, ranking in the top 2% of all Georgia middle schools. Dodgen currently holds the edge, ranking 7th statewide (99th percentile, 5 stars) versus Hightower Trail’s 11th place (98th percentile, 5 stars). Their academic results are remarkably similar and far exceed district and state averages. In Algebra I, Dodgen achieved a perfect 100% proficiency and Hightower Trail 99.4%, roughly double the district average. Across 6th, 7th, and 8th grade math, both schools post proficiency rates in the mid-70s to high-80s, outpacing the state by 30-40 percentage points. In 8th-grade science, scores are lower—64% at Dodgen and 62.3% at Hightower Trail—but still more than double the state average. Social studies proficiency is strong (81.3% at Dodgen, 70.9% at Hightower Trail), and both schools excel in high school physical science (95.3% and 94.8%).
Beyond test scores, these schools share a culture of attendance and efficiency. Chronic absenteeism is just 6.3% at Dodgen and 7.3% at Hightower Trail, less than half the district rate. Per-student spending is slightly below the district average ($13,659 and $14,168, respectively), yet outcomes are top-tier. Both schools have shown year-over-year improvement in math, with Dodgen jumping from 17th to 7th in statewide rankings and Hightower Trail moving from 24th to 11th. With only about 10% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, these schools serve relatively affluent communities, but their performance suggests strong instructional quality and engagement. Families in this area have two outstanding, closely matched options, with Dodgen slightly ahead in rankings and Hightower Trail offering a marginally lower student-teacher ratio (15.5:1 vs. 16.1:1).
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