Summary:
Zip code 30120 in Cartersville, Georgia, is served by two middle schools—Cartersville Middle School and Cass Middle School—which together educate nearly 2,000 students in grades 6-8 across the Cartersville City and Bartow County districts.
Both schools are solid mid-tier performers, but they are heading in different directions. Cartersville Middle School currently holds the higher statewide ranking (177th, 69th percentile) and a 3-star rating, though it has slipped slightly from its 4-star, 74th-percentile performance two years ago. Cass Middle School is the rising star, jumping 50 spots in statewide rankings over the same period to reach the 64th percentile. In math, Cartersville leads in 6th and 7th grades, but Cass dramatically outperforms in 8th-grade math (64.4% vs. 53.1% proficiency). Both schools shine in advanced coursework—Cass posts a perfect 100% proficiency in Algebra I, while Cartersville hits 93.1%—far exceeding the state average of 48.1%. However, 8th-grade science is a shared weakness, with both schools falling below the state average of 29.7% proficiency, particularly Cartersville at just 17%.
For parents, the key takeaway is that Cartersville Middle School offers more consistent performance across grade levels and lower chronic absenteeism (12.7% vs. 16.1%), while Cass Middle School shows remarkable momentum and excels in advanced math and science coursework despite serving a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (68.4% vs. 54.8%). Cass also spends slightly more per student ($13,061 vs. $12,820). If current trends continue, Cass could overtake Cartersville in statewide rankings within a couple of years, making this an exciting competitive dynamic to watch.
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