Summary:
Zip code 30531 is home to one middle school, South Habersham Middle School, which serves grades 6 through 8 in Cornelia, Georgia, as part of the Habersham County school district.
South Habersham Middle School stands out for its exceptional math performance, particularly in advanced coursework. The school achieved a perfect 100% proficiency rate in Algebra I for two consecutive years, far surpassing the district (57.2%) and state (48.1%) averages. Eighth-grade math proficiency is also strong at 62.6%, well above the state average of 46.3%, and improved by 5.5 percentage points from the prior year. The school has maintained a consistent 4-star rating with percentile rankings between 70% and 77% over the past three years, indicating stable, above-average performance among Georgia middle schools.
What makes this school particularly noteworthy is its success while serving a student population where 94.52% qualify for free or reduced lunch—a demographic often associated with lower academic outcomes. Despite this, the school exceeds state averages in most subjects and shows impressive year-over-year gains, including a 12-point jump in 8th-grade science proficiency (from 32.7% to 44.7%). The school also benefits from a favorable 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio and a chronic absenteeism rate of 11.9%, which is well below the state average of 17.7%. With per-student spending of $15,933, the school appears to deploy resources effectively. English Language Arts scores for the current year will be released in December, but the most recent data showed proficiency rates between 40% and 44% across grades, at or above state averages. Overall, South Habersham Middle School demonstrates that high achievement is possible even in high-poverty settings, making it a standout choice for families in this area.
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