Summary:
Zip code 30340 in Atlanta, GA is home to one middle school, Sequoyah Middle School, which serves grades 6-8 and is part of the DeKalb County School District.
Sequoyah Middle School is a large school with 1,713 students and a high level of economic need, as 89% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 15% of Georgia middle schools over the past three years, currently sitting at the 14th percentile with a 1-star rating. Academic proficiency in standard grade-level subjects is a significant concern, with math proficiency ranging from just 13% to 20% across grades 6-8, and 8th grade science at only 11.4% — all well below state averages. However, there is a striking paradox: students in advanced coursework perform exceptionally well. Algebra I proficiency is 65.4% and High School Physical Science proficiency is 69.2%, both exceeding state averages by significant margins. This suggests the school effectively accelerates its top students while the majority of students in standard classes struggle. Chronic absenteeism is also a critical issue, with 30.8% of students chronically absent — nearly double the state rate of 17.7%.
Despite spending a notably high $17,491 per student — well above typical Georgia levels — the school's overall outcomes remain low, indicating that funding alone is not translating into academic gains. The school's student-teacher ratio of 15.2:1 is slightly better than average. One area of relative strength is Social Studies, where proficiency (19%) is much closer to the district average (21.6%) than in other subjects. It's also worth noting that Algebra I scores showed significant volatility, dropping from 96.4% proficiency in 2024-2025 to 65.4% in 2025-2026. For parents, this school offers a strong advanced placement program for high-achieving students, but the broader student population faces substantial academic challenges compounded by high absenteeism. English Language Arts scores are not yet available for the current year and will be released in December.
Thank you for your feedback!