Summary:
Zip code 31719, encompassing the Americus, Georgia area, is served by a single high school, Sumter County High School, which educates students in grades 9 through 12 within the Sumter County school district.
Sumter County High School presents a striking contrast between its graduation success and its academic proficiency rates. The school boasts an impressive 96.7% graduation rate, nearly 10 points above the state average, and its chronic absenteeism rate of 13.9% is actually better than the state's 17.7%. These figures suggest a school with strong support systems and engaged students. However, performance on state End-of-Course assessments tells a different story. Proficiency rates are dramatically below state averages across all subjects—Algebra I sits at 16.5% (state: 48.1%), Biology at 16.6% (state: 47.2%), and US History at just 7.3% (state: 38.5%). The school serves a predominantly low-income population, with 91.9% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and per-student spending is $14,845 with a student-teacher ratio of 15.3:1.
Year-over-year trends show a mixed picture: Algebra I proficiency declined by 3.5 points, while Biology improved by 2.2 points and US History by 1.3 points. The school's state ranking has slipped from the 14th percentile to the 9th percentile, indicating other schools are improving faster. The most concerning area is US History, where proficiency is critically low, though it did show slight improvement. The wide gap between the school's excellent graduation rate and its low test scores suggests the school effectively supports students toward diploma completion but struggles to move the needle on rigorous academic standards. For parents, this school offers a supportive environment with strong attendance and graduation outcomes, but academic achievement on state assessments remains a significant challenge that will require focused intervention to address.
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