Summary:
Zip code 31322 in Pooler, Georgia, is served by a single middle school, West Chatham Middle School, which enrolls 713 students across grades 6 through 8 within the Savannah-Chatham County school district.
West Chatham Middle School serves a predominantly low-income population, with 78% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom fifth of Georgia middle schools over the past three years, holding a 1-star rating and slipping from the 19th to the 15th percentile. Test scores lag significantly behind both district and state averages across all subjects. In 2025-2026, math proficiency ranged from 13.7% in 6th grade to 19.5% in 8th grade, compared to state averages of 40-46%. Science proficiency was 19.2% versus the state's 29.7%, and social studies was the weakest area at just 11.5% proficiency—nearly 29 points below the state average. The most concerning trend is a sharp 6.2-point drop in 7th-grade math proficiency, falling from 21.8% to 15.6% year-over-year, while other subjects showed minimal change.
Despite these academic challenges, the school has some notable strengths. Chronic absenteeism is a bright spot at 14.7%, better than both the district (16.6%) and state (17.7%). The school also maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.7:1 and spends a substantial $18,464 per student—well above typical Georgia levels. However, this combination of high spending, small class sizes, and strong attendance has not translated into improved outcomes, and the school shows no upward trajectory over three years. For parents, this suggests that while the school provides a stable, well-attended environment, significant instructional and curriculum interventions are needed, particularly in social studies and 7th-grade math, to help students reach grade-level proficiency.
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