Summary:
Zip code 30253 in McDonough, Georgia, is home to four high schools—Eagle's Landing High School, McDonough High School, Impact Academy High School, and EXCEL Academy—serving grades 9-12 (with EXCEL also covering grades 6-8), all operating within the Henry County School District.
Families comparing these schools will find stark differences in outcomes. Impact Academy stands out as the strongest performer academically, with the highest test proficiency rates in Algebra I (24.8%), Biology (29.4%), and U.S. History (22.6%), plus a remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of just 9.0%—less than a third of the district average. It also ranks highest among the four at 350th in the state. In contrast, EXCEL Academy faces severe challenges: a 51.5% graduation rate, a 14.6% dropout rate, and chronic absenteeism at 33.8%, with test proficiency in single digits. Among the two traditional high schools, McDonough High School edges out Eagle's Landing in most academic metrics despite serving a higher-poverty population (72.4% free/reduced lunch), while Eagle's Landing boasts the highest graduation rate in the group at 87.4%—just above the state average.
All four schools trail state proficiency averages by significant margins, and all rank in the bottom quarter of Georgia high schools. However, the data reveals a spending paradox: EXCEL Academy spends $19,688 per student—62% more than Eagle's Landing—yet produces the lowest outcomes, reflecting the intensive interventions required in an alternative setting. Meanwhile, Impact Academy's success with lower absenteeism and a smaller student-teacher ratio (16.5:1) suggests that personalized environments can yield better results. For parents, the choice hinges on priorities: Eagle's Landing offers the strongest path to graduation, while Impact Academy provides the best academic performance, though all schools face systemic challenges within the district.
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