Summary:
Zip code 30204, encompassing the Barnesville area of Georgia, is served by a single middle school, Lamar County Middle School, which educates students in grades 6 through 8 within the Lamar County district.
For parents considering this school, the most important takeaway is that Lamar County Middle School serves a student body where 100% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, yet it performs near the middle of the pack statewide, ranking in the 52nd percentile. The school’s biggest bright spot is a dramatic 11.8 percentage point jump in 6th grade math proficiency, bringing it to 40.6%—essentially matching the state average. However, this success does not carry into upper grades, as 7th and 8th grade math scores declined by 5.5 and 8.5 points respectively, leaving 8th grade math at 40.8% versus the state’s 46.3%. Science is a relative strength, with 8th grade proficiency at 29.8%, right at the state average, while social studies remains the largest weakness at 28.8% compared to the state’s 40.2%. Chronic absenteeism sits at 17.7%, exactly matching the state average, and the school maintains a 16:1 student-teacher ratio with per-student spending of $11,609.
Looking at the most recent ELA data from the prior year, the school showed consistent performance across grades, with proficiency rates of 32.7% in 6th, 36.2% in 7th, and 37.7% in 8th grade, with the gap to state averages narrowing significantly by 8th grade. The school’s statewide ranking has been stable over three years, hovering between the 48th and 54th percentiles. Given the high-poverty context, the school’s moderate performance and the notable 6th grade math gains suggest potential for improvement, though the declines in upper-grade math and persistent social studies struggles are areas of concern for parents to monitor.
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