Summary:
Zip code 30179 in Temple, Georgia, is served by two middle schools—Temple Middle School and Villa Rica Middle—both part of the Carroll County district and both covering grades 6-8 with a combined enrollment of 1,163 students.
These two schools, despite sharing a district and similar socioeconomic profiles (roughly 45-48% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch), deliver very different results. Temple Middle School is the clear standout, having climbed from the 47th to the 65th percentile in state rankings over two years. It now outperforms state averages in 7th and 8th grade math, 8th grade science (46.2% proficient vs. 29.7% statewide), and 8th grade social studies. In contrast, Villa Rica Middle sits in the 29th percentile, with proficiency rates roughly half the state average in 8th grade science (14.6%) and social studies (21.5%). The gap is especially stark in 7th grade math, where Temple posts 50.2% proficiency versus Villa Rica's 29.6%.
Interestingly, both schools excel in advanced coursework—Temple achieves a perfect 100% proficiency on the Algebra I End-of-Course exam, and Villa Rica hits 82.8%, both far exceeding district (42%) and state (48.1%) averages. However, a spending paradox emerges: Villa Rica spends $1,877 more per student ($13,392 vs. $11,515) and has a slightly better student-teacher ratio, yet produces far weaker outcomes. Chronic absenteeism is a concern at both schools, with Villa Rica at 21.1% and Temple at 18.9%, both above the state's 17.7%. English Language Arts scores for the current year are not yet available, as Georgia releases those results in December; prior-year data showed both schools near or below state averages. For parents, Temple Middle's upward trajectory and strong subject-area performance make it the stronger choice, while Villa Rica's higher spending and lower results warrant closer examination.
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