Summary:
Zip code 30161 in Rome, Georgia is served by two public middle schools—Rome Middle School and Model Middle School—which together cover grades 5 through 8 and belong to two different districts, Rome City and Floyd County, respectively.
For parents comparing the two, Model Middle School is the clear academic standout. It ranks 116th out of 584 Georgia middle schools (80th percentile) with a 4-star rating, while Rome Middle School ranks 405th (31st percentile) with a 2-star rating. Model consistently beats state averages in math and science—for example, 67.1% of its 7th graders are proficient in math versus 42% statewide—while Rome generally falls below state averages, with particularly low 8th-grade scores in social studies (15.5% proficient vs. 40.2% statewide) and science (22.9% vs. 29.7%). One notable exception: Rome’s select group of Algebra I students posts a 95.6% proficiency rate, far above the state’s 48.1%, though this reflects a small advanced cohort rather than school-wide math performance. Model also has a much lower chronic absenteeism rate (7.2% vs. 16.5% at Rome) and serves a student body with 47% free/reduced lunch eligibility compared to 100% at Rome. Per-student spending is similar ($14,715 at Model vs. $13,536 at Rome), as are student-teacher ratios (13.7 vs. 13.4).
The biggest takeaway is the strong link between economic challenges and achievement: Rome’s high-poverty population faces significant hurdles, while Model’s more affluent student body excels. District-level differences also matter, with Floyd County ranking in the 87th percentile of districts versus Rome City in the 49th. For parents, Model offers consistently strong academics and better attendance, while Rome shows pockets of excellence (Algebra I) but needs targeted support in social studies and science. Note that English Language Arts scores for the current cycle are not yet available; they will be released in December.
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