Summary:
Zip code 30240 in LaGrange, Georgia, is served by nine schools within the Troup County School District, enrolling roughly 5,600 students across six elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools, with a predominantly low-income population where free/reduced lunch rates range from 65% to 100%.
For parents, the standout is Hillcrest Elementary School, which ranks in the top 10% of Georgia elementary schools (89th percentile) despite 83% of its students qualifying for free/reduced lunch—its 5th grade science proficiency (77%) and 4th grade math (75%) far exceed state averages. Hollis Hand Elementary School is also strong (82nd percentile), with the lowest poverty rate in the area and 79% proficiency in 3rd grade math. Long Cane Elementary School performs above state averages in most subjects. At the middle school level, Long Cane Middle School posts an extraordinary 98.4% proficiency in Algebra I, though its 8th grade social studies lags the state. LaGrange High School excels at graduating students—94.1% graduation rate versus 87.2% statewide—even though its test scores are below average. Meanwhile, The Hope Academy School, an alternative school with 83 students and 100% poverty, ranks in the 4th percentile despite spending the most per student ($26,238) and having the lowest student-teacher ratio (8.3).
Schools facing challenges include Franklin Forest Elementary (26th percentile) and Berta Weathersbee Elementary (42nd percentile), both with high poverty and chronic absenteeism above 21%. However, Ethel W. Kight Elementary School jumped from the 31st to 52nd percentile in one year, showing turnaround potential. Across the zip code, lower chronic absenteeism strongly correlates with higher achievement, and schools like Hillcrest prove that high poverty does not preclude success—making its strategies worth replicating district-wide.
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