Best High Schools in Zip Code 30906

Zip code 30906 in Augusta, Georgia is served by six high schools—four traditional public schools within the Richmond County district and two small facilities operated by the Department of Juvenile Justice—together covering grades 9 through 12 in an area where the district ranks in the bottom 11% of Georgia school systems.

For parents, the standout option is Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School, which ranks in the 71st percentile statewide and dramatically outperforms its neighbors. It posts a 100% graduation rate, chronic absenteeism of just 10.7%, and proficiency rates that are 4 to 9 times higher than the other traditional schools—for example, 62.9% in Biology versus 7–11% at Cross Creek High School, Butler High School, and Glenn Hills High School. The magnet school also benefits from a lower student-teacher ratio (14.1) and higher per-student spending ($16,291) than its peers. Among the comprehensive schools, Cross Creek is the strongest, with the largest enrollment (1,152 students), an 82.5% graduation rate, and the most consistent ranking improvement, though its proficiency rates remain in the single digits to low teens. Butler and Glenn Hills face steeper challenges: both have chronic absenteeism above 56%, graduation rates below 80%, and proficiency rates that frequently fall below 10%.

The most pressing issue across the traditional schools is attendance—chronic absenteeism ranges from 37.8% at Cross Creek to 57.0% at Glenn Hills, roughly 2–3 times the state average, and this closely tracks with lower test scores and graduation rates. The two juvenile justice facilities (Augusta Youth Development Campus and Augusta Regional Youth Detention Center) serve highly transient, justice-involved students and should not be compared to traditional schools; their metrics, including a 0% graduation rate at the Youth Development Campus, reflect the unique nature of their populations. Overall, the zip code offers a stark contrast: a high-performing magnet school alongside comprehensive schools that need significant support in attendance, instruction, and resources.