Summary:
Zip code 30417, serving the Claxton, Georgia area, is home to three high schools spanning grades 5 through 12: Claxton High School, Second Chance, and Claxton Regional Youth Detention Center.
For parents, the standout choice in this area is Claxton High School, the traditional comprehensive school serving grades 9-12 with 471 students. It is the clear academic leader, ranking 381st out of 455 Georgia high schools, and boasts an exceptional 98.1% graduation rate—more than 10 points above the state average of 87.2% and above the Evans County district rate of 95.9%. However, test proficiency is a concern: Algebra I proficiency is just 17.2% (up from 5.7% last year), Biology is 13.2%, and U.S. History is 31.3%, all below state averages. Chronic absenteeism sits at 24.8%, higher than the state's 17.7%. Every student at this school qualifies for free/reduced lunch, reflecting universal economic disadvantage, yet the school still manages to graduate nearly all of its students.
In contrast, Second Chance is an alternative school serving grades 6-12 with just 55 students. It ranks near the bottom (443rd out of 452) and faces extreme challenges, including a 76.1% chronic absenteeism rate—more than three times the state average—and 0% proficiency in several 8th-grade subjects. Its graduation rate of 81.3% is below both district and state averages, though it may still represent a win for students who might otherwise drop out. The Claxton Regional Youth Detention Center, operated by the Department of Juvenile Justice, serves just 10 students with a highly favorable 5:1 student-teacher ratio, but no outcome data is available. Overall, Evans County ranks in the bottom 10% of Georgia districts, and parents should weigh Claxton High's strong graduation record against its low test scores and high absenteeism.
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