Summary:
Zip code 31513, serving the Baxley area of Appling County, Georgia, is home to four public schools—two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school—that together educate 3,266 students within the Appling County school district, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the 78th percentile statewide.
The standout performer in this area is Appling County Middle School, which has surged from the 57th to the 82nd percentile in just two years and now exceeds state averages in every subject tested—most notably in 8th-grade science, where 46.3% of students are proficient versus 29.7% statewide. It also achieves these results while spending the least per student ($13,150) among the four schools. Appling County High School posts an exceptional 99.2% graduation rate, far above the state's 87.2%, yet its End-of-Course exam proficiency lags in Biology (36.6% vs. 47.2%) and U.S. History (34.1% vs. 38.5%), suggesting a disconnect between credit completion and content mastery. Among the elementary schools, Appling County Elementary School leads in math, with 63.3% of 4th graders proficient versus 50.1% statewide, while Altamaha Elementary School shows more variability, including a sharp drop in 5th-grade science from 52.9% to 35.8% year over year.
Chronic absenteeism is a clear concern at the high school level, where 25.3% of students are chronically absent—more than double the elementary schools' rates (10.3% and 11.2%) and well above the state's 17.7%. Mathematics is a district-wide strength, with proficiency consistently above state averages across all grade levels. However, the most recent ELA data (2024-2025) shows room for growth, particularly at the middle school level where 7th and 8th-grade proficiency trails state averages. For parents, this district offers a high-performing middle school, a strong graduation rate, and solid elementary math instruction, but the high school's content mastery and attendance patterns warrant attention.
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