Best High Schools in Zip Code 31023

Zip code 31023 in Eastman, Georgia, is served by three high schools—Dodge County High School, DAC (Dodge County Achievement Center), and Eastman Youth Development Campus—which together represent a traditional high school, an alternative school, and a juvenile justice facility, each serving very different student populations.

Dodge County High School is the clear academic leader in this area, with a 96.7% graduation rate that far exceeds the state average of 87.2%, and a dropout rate of just 1.5% compared to the state's 2.4%. This is especially notable given that 96.29% of its students qualify for free/reduced lunch. The school also posts a remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of 9.4%, less than half the state average. However, its test scores lag state averages in most subjects, with American Literature proficiency at just 21.8% in 2024-2025, a significant 18.6-point gap. Biology proficiency also dropped sharply from 50.8% to 35.3% between school years, and the school's state ranking slipped from the 46th to the 37th percentile. By contrast, DAC (Dodge County Achievement Center) serves a smaller, higher-need population with 100% free/reduced lunch eligibility, a 33.9% chronic absenteeism rate, and reported 0% proficiency in most tested subjects—though its tiny cohort of 51 students makes these figures highly sensitive. Eastman Youth Development Campus, operating under the Department of Juvenile Justice, reports a 5.3% graduation rate and 23.9% dropout rate, reflecting the severe educational disruptions faced by incarcerated students.

For parents, the key takeaway is that Dodge County High School is the strongest option in this zip code, outperforming its own Dodge County district averages in nearly every subject while achieving exceptional graduation outcomes despite high poverty. The alternative and juvenile justice schools serve specialized populations and should not be compared directly to the traditional high school. The DAC spends 47% more per student ($17,145) than Dodge County High School ($11,703), yet its academic outcomes are far lower, though this reflects the greater needs of its students. Parents should also note that the DAC's reported 51:1 student-teacher ratio appears to be a data anomaly worth verifying, and that English Language Arts scores for the current year have not yet been released.