Summary:
Zip code 30248 in Locust Grove, Georgia, is served by two middle schools—Locust Grove Middle and Luella Middle School—both part of the Henry County district and both serving grades 6-8 with similar poverty levels (about two-thirds of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch).
These two schools tell very different stories despite serving the same community. Locust Grove Middle is the clear standout, particularly in advanced coursework: 90.7% of its Algebra I students scored proficient or better—nearly double the state average and more than 2.5 times the district average—and 69.3% passed HS Physical Science, also above state and district levels. The school improved in every subject from the prior year and has a lower student-teacher ratio (17.4:1) with slightly higher per-student spending ($12,139). In contrast, Luella Middle School has declined for three straight years in its state ranking (now in the 11th percentile), saw Algebra I proficiency plummet from 47.2% to 28.1%, and only 18.3% of its 8th graders passed HS Physical Science. Luella also has a higher student-teacher ratio (21.9:1) and lower per-student spending ($11,293).
However, both schools struggle with standard grade-level content. Proficiency in 8th grade science is just 10.1% at Locust Grove and 15.3% at Luella, compared to 29.7% statewide; social studies is similarly low (19.3% and 9.4% vs. 40.2% statewide). Chronic absenteeism is a concern at both schools (19.8% and 17.3%). This suggests that while Locust Grove excels at accelerating high-performing students, neither school is yet bringing the majority of students to proficiency in core grade-level subjects. English Language Arts scores for the current year are pending release in December, so a full picture of these schools' trajectories is still forthcoming.
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