Summary:
Zip code 31642, encompassing Pearson, Georgia, is served by a single middle school, Atkinson County Middle School, which educates students in grades 6 through 8 and is part of the Atkinson County district.
As the only middle school in the area, Atkinson County Middle School directly shapes the district's performance, and it has shown impressive momentum. The school improved its state ranking by 44 positions in a single year, moving from a 3-star to a 4-star rating. Academically, math is a clear strength, with the school outperforming the state average in every grade level. The 8th-grade math proficiency rate of 61.5% is particularly notable, sitting 15.2 percentage points above the state average. Social studies also stands out, with 52.1% of 8th graders proficient, compared to 40.2% statewide. Science remains the only area where the school slightly trails the state average (29.2% vs. 29.7%), though it improved dramatically from 16.5% the previous year. Year-over-year gains were substantial across the board, including a 15.6-point jump in 8th-grade social studies and a 12.7-point jump in 8th-grade science.
For parents, this school demonstrates that strong results are possible despite challenges. With 85.71% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, the school serves a high-poverty population, yet it outperforms the state in four of five tested subjects. The student-to-teacher ratio is favorable at 13.6:1, and per-student spending is $11,099. One area of concern is chronic absenteeism, which sits at 17.2%—higher than the district average of 13.7% and nearly matching the state rate of 17.7%. English Language Arts scores from the 2025-2026 school year are not yet available, but in the prior year, the school outperformed the state in all three grade levels. Overall, Atkinson County Middle School offers a strong academic foundation, particularly in math, with clear evidence of rapid improvement.
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