Summary:
Zip code 31539, encompassing Hazlehurst, Georgia, is home to a single middle school, Jeff Davis Middle School, which serves grades 6 through 8 and is part of the highly-rated Jeff Davis County district.
Jeff Davis Middle School is a standout example of academic success in a high-poverty setting, with 100% of its 675 students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. Despite this, the school outperforms state averages in every subject tested for the 2025-2026 school year. Its greatest strengths are in mathematics and social studies, where 8th-grade proficiency rates reach 58.3% and 56.6%, respectively—exceeding state averages by 12 and 16.4 percentage points. The school has also shown a remarkable upward trajectory in its state ranking, climbing from 201st in 2023-2024 to 131st in 2025-2026, placing it in the 77th percentile of Georgia middle schools. This rapid improvement suggests effective instructional strategies are in place, and the school maintains a favorable 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio with per-student spending of $12,210.
While the academic picture is largely positive, there are areas to monitor. Year-over-year data shows 6th and 7th grade math scores improved, but 8th-grade scores declined in math, science, and social studies. Chronic absenteeism stands at 21.1%, which is 3.4 percentage points above the state average and represents a potential area for improvement. Additionally, English Language Arts (ELA) scores for 2025-2026 have not yet been released; the most recent data from 2024-2025 showed the school below state averages, particularly in 7th grade. When the new ELA results arrive in December, it will be crucial to see if literacy gains match the school's impressive progress in other subjects.
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